Commissioners Award Bids For New Public Safety Building

Washington County Commissioners on Thursday, awarded bids for the new public safety building that will replace the old Courthouse Square building on Beau Street.  The demolition of that building was completed last week and Beau Street, which was closed in early April, was reopened.  Commission Chair Nick Sherman says construction on the new building should be getting underway in two to three weeks and the finished structure should be ready by early January, 2028.  The vote to award the bids was two to one, with Democratic Commissioner Larry Maggi voting no.  In a press release, Maggi says he  is against spending forty-million-dollars to building a new public safety building at the same site of the old building that had allegedly been riddled with structural and foundation issues for years.  “Now that we have a huge, gaping hole in the middle of downtown Washington and no other viable plans for the site, it seems like we have no other choice than to saddle our taxpayers with additional debt to approve this project. However, I have major concerns that prevent me from  putting my name behind this costly burden to the taxpayers,” he said.  Maggi says he is concerned about the site containing pyrite – a mineral that is easily damaged by water and can damage a foundation.  Sherman, however, says that issue was addressed and rectified.