County officials look at future courthouse costs

While much of the focus has been on the cost to construct Morgan County's new $10 million courthouse, county officials are shifting gears and taking a stab at estimating how much it will cost the county to do business in the new building.

County Administrator Bill Clark met recently with the County Commissioners to lay out some of the decisions that lay ahead, regarding the move into the courthouse and utility and maintenance costs for the new building.

Clark said many of the costs have already been anticipated, like furniture and equipment for the larger building. But the costs for electricity, water and trash service in the county's new home remain a bit of a mystery.

"We're running into some unknowns," he said.

"As these building projects come together, there's always an