In last week’s Gasconade County Republican the Save the Courthouse committee had several good questions in their weekly ad to try and keep the courthouse in Hermann. I am not an expert on this matter, but I believe I can address a few of their questions and put them to ease.

Answer: Exactly one half of what the cost to remodel the current courthouse. You see, during construction of the annex and the courthouse remodeling everyone in the courthouse will have to be relocated. Then everything will have to be moved back into the courthouse at completion. Each time the old bridge was blasted the 100-year-old courthouse had to be vacated, in case the vibration from the blasts would cause structural damage, or worse yet cause it to collapse. That was hundreds of yards away from the courthouse. To create the annex they will be doing at least some blasting next door for an extended period of time. Maybe some philanthropist in Hermann will give the county use of office space for nine to 18 months during this time to save that expense!

Question 2: What would it cost to repair and maintain the current courthouse, as required by law?

Answer: I am glad that the “Save the Courthouse Committee” has stopped trying to scare the citizens of Gasconade County into thinking that the County Commissioners are planning to demolish this historical structure.

Question 5: Why is the 3-5 Center now deemed a healthy building when Owensville R-2 voters were told in 2005 it would cost more to repair the building than to build a new one?

Answer: This one is easy. Gasconade County R-2 School district has always maintained one of the most cost effective and efficient school districts in the state. Our Achilles heel was the fact that the elementary was divided into two buildings. With grades K-2 in one building and 3-5 in the building in question the school district was heavy in administrative costs. We had two principals for Owensville elementary, two sets of cooks, double the custodial staff and more. The cost savings was not that the 3-5 Center building could not be remodeled, it was that the 3-5 Center was only providing for half of our needs. The health issue was with the K-2 building, not the 3-5 center.

Question 7: Who would benefit financially from relocation of the county seat?

Answer: This is my favorite. Everyone. Even those who are trying to do everything possible to stop this, to the point of suing the county commissioners, will benefit. Every citizen of Hermann, everyone in Owensville and Rosebud and Bland, everyone in the county would benefit financially by moving the county seat to Owensville. They will benefit by the tune of $8 million. In case you have not noticed, $8 million is still a lot of money.

Bonus: History lesson. The capital of the United States has been moved. It was originally in Philadelphia. It was moved to a more centrally-located area for the country at that time. The capital of Missouri has been moved. At one time it was in St. Charles. It was also moved to a more central location. The county seat of Gasconade County has been moved before, and it can be moved again (with a vote of the people) to better serve its citizens and in the process save us all $8 million.

Thanks

Dennis Warden, publisher, The Gasconade County Republican