The 113-year-old former Cape Girardeau County Courthouse has been largely empty since the new courthouse at 203 N. High St. opened in 2020 -- and the Cape Girardeau County Commission took another step Thursday to figure out how to utilize the old structure in the future.

The commissioners voted unanimously to award St. Louis-based Sitex, the lowest of four bidders, a $6,670 contract to do an environmental site assessment of the building. Sitex will be checking for the possible presence of lead and asbestos.

"This is standard in older buildings, you have to make sure it's safe before you can have it remediated," said 2nd District Commissioner Charlie Herbst.

On July 22, the commissioners agreed to a $208,420 contract with a consulting firm, St. Louis' Navigate Building Solutions, to do a facility study on the old courthouse.

"Navigate is, among other things, looking at a 2013 facility needs study for the county and will project out for us what it thinks we'll need 25 years from now," Herbst said, adding the commission is hopeful of having the consultant's report by the end of the year.

Additionally, the commission voted Thursday to advertise for letters of intent from "experienced design-build" teams for expected future renovations of the old courthouse and nearby existing jail campus.

Other action

• The commission OK'd a recommendation by Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson for a three-year extension with Keefe Commissary to service vending machines in each pod at the county lockup at 216 N. Missouri St.
• The commission voted to approve sending 10 voting delegates, comprising most of the county's officeholders, to the Missouri Association of Counties annual conference next month.

Masking

In response to a citizen query about a "disparity" in masking policy among county school districts, Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy said when it comes to requiring face coverings, "individual school districts make the call."

Tracy said the commission's role is to fulfill its statutory responsibility to local districts.

"(We) collect taxes on behalf of individual districts and then distribute the revenue to schools," he said.