Justice Building expansion project moving forward

COEUR d'ALENE - Kootenai County commissioners voted Monday to choose a contractor to provide construction management services for a planned $22 million addition to the Justice Building located on the county’s main campus in downtown Coeur d’Alene.

Commissioners Leslie Duncan and Chris Fillios voted to award the construction management contract to Spokane-based Bouten Construction, while Commissioner Bill Brooks abstained from the vote.

The county will enter price negotiations with Bouten Construction for the project management services.

Fillios said construction could begin as soon as spring 2023 and last between 18 and 24 months.

The expansion will add three courtrooms, as well as a secure detention area and office space for the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, district court employees, prosecutors and other county staff.

Federal dollars will pay for the project, via the American Rescue Plan Act.

Brooks has criticized the project, especially its price tag, which is about $4 million higher than he wanted.

Though Brooks doesn’t oppose the county accepting ARPA funds, he said he objects to spending the bulk of the money on the Justice Building expansion.

For that reason, he abstained from the vote.

“I think it’s fundamentally flawed,” he said.

Fillios said the expansion is badly needed.

The county needs more space for employees, including prosecutors and public defenders. Such employees need proximity to downtown and can’t be accommodated at the recently-acquired Kootenai Electric building in Hayden, Fillios said.

“We don’t have enough courtrooms for the amount of judges we have,” he said, adding that the number of judges in the county is based on population size.