March 29, 2024
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State to showcase courthouse addition Public to be afforded rare glimpse of $5.5 million expansion of Rockland facility

ROCKLAND – From prisoners’ holding cells to judges’ chambers, the inner sanctum of the newly expanded Knox County Courthouse will be open for a rare public glimpse later this month.

The public will get a chance Oct. 26 to see firsthand how the state spent $5.5 million in taxpayer dollars for the additional 9,975 square feet of space. The original courthouse was built in 1874 and an annex was added in 1977. The latest two-story addition is on the south side of the 1977 annex.

“This new addition is sort of like a condominium situation,” Norman Ness, state director of court facilities, said Tuesday.

The state owns the new section and the county owns the original courthouse and 1977 annex. The two governmental entities share the fuel tank with separate metering and costs for grounds maintenance, including snowplowing. The state pays the county for janitorial services and building maintenance.

“It’s an effort to make the best use of limited dollars,” Ness said.

“The [county] commissioners worked closely with us on the project,” he said. “We tried to maintain good communications.”

Besides the new courthouse, there’s a new clerk of courts.

Recently, Penny Reckards became top administrator for both Superior and District courts. She worked for more than 18 years in District Court, leaving in 1999 as the lead clerk there.

In April 2004, a groundbreaking dedicated to the late Commissioner Edward Sleeper set off a year of construction. By spring 2005, the work done under contractor Wright-Ryan of Portland was tested by periods of heavy rain, which created a flurry of leaks around the massive glass panels that front the building.

“The contractor was good at trying to solve the problems,” Ness said.

Besides the addition, many areas of the older sections were renovated and offices have been moved to different locations.

Upon entering the front door – which will be the only public access – visitors may be subjected to metal detection checks. The goal is to have the checks on a regular basis, Ness said, but for now its use has been limited.

“We’ll have court security and plenty of it,” Reckards said, noting security staff has been beefed-up.

Inside the entrance, a short flight of stairs leads to the first floor. A jury assembly room that seats 100 is dead ahead. The district attorney’s office is to the left. A law library and computer room is to the right, as well as a hallway leading to the Registry of Deeds and old courthouse.

In the original courthouse, the treasurer’s office is where the district attorney’s office used to be, and probate is where the county commissioners’ office was located. The commissioners’ office has moved to the old District Court room.

The upper level of the new section includes a family courtroom, multipurpose-conference rooms, a child waiting room and control room for court security. The old Superior Court room on the second floor is easily accessed from the new addition.

The tour will provide a good opportunity for the public to see where all offices are located and to view the Percent for Art component of the project, which features a stunning mural of the northern sky at night above the second floor courtroom, which is visible from the outdoors.

The mural was painted by artist Mark Wethli of Brunswick. Other works are by Sam Cady of Friendship and Jan Owen of Bangor.

The open house will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, with light refreshments served.

For information call Reckards at 594-2576.


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