IT room for Cape Girardeau County Justice Center added in

Commissioners approved an addition to the Cape Girardeau County Justice Center project at Monday�s regular meeting, meaning the $18 million project will now include dedicated space for county and state information technology staff.

At the meeting�s outset, commissioners observed a moment of silence in honor of Judge Marybelle Mueller, who died Wednesday at age 91.

Mueller was the first female lawyer to serve on the bench in Missouri, appointed in 1955 by then Gov. Phil Donnelly, elected in 1956 to fill the remainder of the term, and won a full term in 1958.

The design-build team of Penzel Construction in Jackson and Treanor HL, an architecture firm with an office in Kansas City, Missouri, and other locations, signed a contract earlier this month to design and build the new justice center.

Penzel/Treanor�s proposal included two additives, as requested by the county commissioners: one, for a room to be added onto the building for the IT department, and two, to finish out a sixth courtroom, space for which will be included on the center�s third floor.

This rendering shows the interior of the proposed new Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson.Submitted by Penzel Construction

Associate Commissioner Paul Koeper said the cost for adding the IT component to the building was approximately $229,000, adding, �I would suggest that we do that.�

Koeper said the discussion around finishing the sixth courtroom is ongoing, and the decision will depend on how the rest of the job goes � whether the room is finished at a later date or with the justice center�s construction.

Associate Commissioner Charles Herbst said the commissioners held a kickoff meeting Friday with Penzel/Treanor.

Posters of the justice center renderings will be displayed in the County Administration Building lobby and at the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau and the existing Jackson courthouse.

Herbst said parking lot work on the north side is underway, and existing lighting will be improved there.

The site of the planned new county courthouse building is seen July 16 in Jackson.KASSI JACKSON

The commission will also partner with Penzel to put a time-lapse camera on the courthouse, Herbst said.

Cape Girardeau County Treasurer Roger Hudson submitted a purchase order for a bond payment on the refinance of the existing county jail, for $513,000.

Hudson said approximately $2 million is left on the refinance, and these particular bonds will be paid off in 2022.

�That�s a good thing,� he added.

Koeper noted the payment is included in the budget every year.

This rendering shows the exterior of the proposed new Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson.Submitted by Penzel Construction

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