Cape Girardeau County commissioners approved a contract that would allow an engineering firm to perform a structural analysis on the county's two courthouses.

Commissioner Paul Koeper said at a meeting last week that the county wants ASDG LLC, of Fairview Heights, Ill., to identify major concerns with the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau and the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson, and to suggest any repairs and updates that may prolong the life of the structures.

Koeper said he is also interested in determining the buildings' earthquake resistance.

Koeper said earlier this month that because the nature of the analysis and its specific requirements, the county was unable to use local engineering firms.

Commissioner Jay Purcell said the structural analysis is a good idea and will provide the commission with the information necessary for long-term planning. The Common Pleas Courthouse was built in 1854 and the Jackson courthouse was built in 1908. Both structures present a variety of maintenance and logistical issues to county officials and staff.

Purcell also shared additional plans for updating the county's parks department. He said he will make a formal presentation within a week regarding the construction of new park shelters.

Last week Purcell proposed taking on greater oversight of the department following the departure of parks superintendent Bruce Watkins. Purcell said through eliminating the superintendent position and reassigning duties to himself and department staff, county taxpayers will be able to save more than $50,000 a year.

Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy was not at Monday's meeting due to illness.

In other business

* Susan Layton was appointed to the Domestic Violence Authority Board.

* Commissioners accepted a bid of $16,606.19 from Kelso Supply for materials for a highway department shed. This was the lowest of two bids.

* Commissioners approved the purchase of new copier for the recorder of deeds office. A Kyocera Copystar CS-420i will be purchased from Osborne Office Equipment for $3,912. The current machine was refurbished when leased in 2007. County IT director Eric McGowen said the existing copier does not have network printing capabilities, and has not been copying all of an image, resulting in poor copy quality. This was the lowest of four quotes.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

243-8600