Lane County leaders say they’ll put efforts to seek funding for a new courthouse on hold. The decision comes in recognition of the economic challenges brought on by COVID-19.
The Lane County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to delay their efforts to replace the aging courthouse.
“Really, this just isn’t the time to ask our community members to support a large project right now.”
Lane County spokesperson Devon Ashbridge says it’s still unclear what recovery from COVID-19 will look like
“And that we even now don’t have an understanding of how COVID-19 is going to affect the long-term economic health of our community. And so, it’s really just the responsible thing to do.”
Ashbridge says the need for a new building remains. Efforts to replace the 60-year-old structure with a new, modern courthouse have been underway since 2015. Last year, Lane County voters rejected a $154 million courthouse bond measure.
