ORIG 08/05/21 The exterior of the Crook County Courthouse in Prineville on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021.

The Crook County Court on Wednesday unanimously approved sending a bond measure to voters that would fund the construction of a new courthouse and the restoration of the historic courthouse, which has served the county for 112 years.

The up to $35 million bond measure, which if passed would allow the county to match a contribution in state funds secured through the Legislature, will be sent to voters on the ballot in the November special election .

If voters approve the measure, the construction of a more functional justice center would begin, and the historic courthouse would be updated and converted into county government office space.

Funds secured by the Legislature come from the Courthouse Capital Construction and Improvement Fund, an Oregon Department of Justice program that the county applied for.

For state funding approval, the county proved the courthouse needed updating, a task Commissioner Brian Barney said was easy.

The current 23,000-square-foot courthouse includes one courtroom, one small elevator and offices packed into every nook and cranny. Over the years, the building has required extensive renovation.

“It’s so crowded, we’re always looking for room for everything,” Barney said.

As Prineville continues to rapidly expand, it’s time to invest in a new justice center, Barney said.

A site has already been picked: an empty lot on Claypool Street and Beaver Street, a few blocks away from the historic courthouse.

“The current situation is unacceptable from a security perspective,” Barney said. “It endangers public safety while directly damaging the fair administration of justice in our county. The longer we wait before acting, the worse the problem will get.”

The new justice center is expected to be some 68,000 square feet and would include three to four courtrooms, Barney said.

“People working here are excited to move,” Barney said. “But with a good remodel, the courthouse will make a great place for the county offices.”

Approval of the bond measure is not expected to raise property taxes, Barney said. The county expects to pay debt service on the bonds from tax revenue already available to the county, according to the order passed Wednesday by the County Court.

The county is also seeking additional revenue sources to help fund the courthouse renovation and construction of the justice center, such as funds from the federal infrastructure bill and additional grants.

If approved, the county plans to hold various town halls and other events to update the community as the project moves forward.

Historic courthouse

On Thursday morning, Barney gazed up at the century-old courthouse from the front lawn.

“In 1904 through 1908, my great-grandfather was a county commissioner here,” he said. “Come to find out he was involved in building this courthouse.”

Walking into the lower level offices, Barney greeted everyone he passed cordially. Paper and binders were stacked in every corner.

“This area used to be the jail cells,” he said. “You can see how thick the walls are, and how crowded everything is.”

He pulled a skeleton key out of his back pocket and opened a thick door.

“In here we have the boiler room,” he said. “I think they used to burn coal here. With the remodel, we would re-haul all of this.”

He then ascended the steps to the second level, where more offices are located. He entered the county clerk’s office, a little brass bell dinged, and he greeted Crook County Clerk Cheryl Seely.

Seely took him back to the records room, which houses county records dating back to 1882. She found the original blueprints for the courthouse — a tattered, yellowed scroll — and carefully unrolled them.

“Those were probably drawn up before 1905,” Barney said.

Later, Barney walked up to the third story, which houses the buildings’ sole courtroom. Court was in session.

“This courtroom is booked solid all the time,” he said.

From there, he ascended multiple steep flights to the bell tower. At the very top, surrounding the gears ticking interminably, were nearly a century’s worth of names scrawled onto the walls.

“It’d be amazing to know how many names are up here,” he said wistfully. “Think of all the people.”

Descending the stairs, Barney pointed out the basalt rock that the building is constructed of, hauled over from mines that used to line state Highway 126 just outside of town.

“Everything here is historic,” he said. “It just needs a clean up.”