BOCC approves additional funds for remodeling project

WALLACE –– The Shoshone Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved additional funds for an ongoing remodeling project at the Shoshone County Courthouse. 

The project is currently underway on the third floor of the 117-year-old building, where part of the law library is being converted into additional office space. 

The new space will be used by the county clerk and their staff. 

Last year, the BOCC approved $5,000 for the project, with the funds coming from the county’s allocation of the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF). 

On Wednesday morning, they approved an additional $4,500 in LATCF funds for the project – which was already more than $3,000 over the original $5,000. 

According to Shoshone County Grant Administrator Colleen Rosson, as the project has progressed, price increases for supplies and materials have led to the necessity for more money – which came as no surprise to the board.

“We knew this was going to happen, we knew that we were only getting it partly done with that first $5,000,” Commissioner Dave Dose said. “If we had another $5,000, and we’re careful with bids we can probably get the job done.”  

While the BOCC did approve the additional money, they are also asking that the county seek out the best possible bids for the remaining work – including carpeting the office, for which, the county received a $2,375 bid – much to the surprise of the commissioners. 

“I think we can get a couple more bids,” Commissioner Tracy Casady said after hearing that number. 

“That seems pretty high for that square footage,” Dose said. “That won’t stop us from approving any of the funds today, but we should get more bids for the carpet.” 

The board also approved an additional spending cap of $2,500 to properly furnish the office once it’s completed. 

Rosson did mention to the board that she was currently working on a grant application for additional funds money for repairs on the courthouse’s balconies.

She explained that along with $7,500 from the Idaho Heritage Trust, the county should pitch in $2,000 of its own money which would help with the grant application. 

However, after a brief discussion, the board decided that they would like to take that money out of the county’s remaining Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF). This means that it needs to be put on a future BOCC agenda to legally be discussed and potentially approved. 

Both the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund and the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund are part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). LATCF received $2 billion to provide additional resources to help tribal governments and revenue-sharing counties as they recover from the public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The CSLFRF program delivered $350 billion to state, territorial, local, and Tribal governments across the country to support their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency. Shoshone County received $2.5 million of that allocation.