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jA-i rlE SEA COAST ECHO—THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1996
County voters narrowly favor courthouse
BY ED LEPOMA A slim majority of Hancock County voters favor a new courthouse. But the site selected and the future price tag weren’t mentioned.
Before the Nov. 5 elections, supervisors wanted to gauge citizens’ feelings on building a new county courthouse. They asked the Secretary of State and Circuit Clerk Pam Metzler to put the question on the ballot in the form of a non-binding referendum. The straw vote simply asked: “Are you for or against the Hancock County Board of Supervisors considering the construction of a new courthouse?” The proposition was numbered with boxes to vote for or against.
Complete but unofficial results released by Metzler’s office showed 6,517 or 54 percent want a new courthouse with 5,754 voting against.
Board of Supervisors President Philip Moran said the question was put on the ballot at the request of Circuit Court
Judge Kosta Vlahos, who has complained about Circuit and Chancery Court fighting over space in the old courthouse on Main Street.
The gray, white-columned building was built in 1911, and is on the National Register of Historic Places, but judges and other county officials have over several years complained that it has outlived its usefulness as a seat of county government and would cost too much to renovate and modernize.
Court sessions and supervisors’ meetings taking place simultaneously at the courthouse, along with citizens going to Justice and Juvenile Courts on Court Street, contribute to parking problems and congestion in the area.
In an effort to relieve the problem, supervisors are planning to move the Chancery Court, Justice Court, and several other county offices to a building it intends to purchase off Hwy. 90.
Moran, speaking to the Echo
the day after elections, said he has already talked to Metzler and County Administrator Tim Kellar about forming a “factfinding, search committee of citizens” to address the courthouse issue.
“Anyone who has had any business at the courthouse is appalled by the overcrowded conditions,” said Moran.
He said the citizens’ team would be charged with suggesting a location, fundingpossibili-ties, accessing future needs of the county, and “look to building something that will last 50 to 75 years.”
Moran said the building could be financed from raising fees on court fines or from the county making a low-interest loan, such as the one that will finance purchase of the McDonald Building, but that would be left up to the committee.
He said he felt the McDonald Building was “the best temporary solution” to relieve present overcrowding, “and will buy us some time.”
Moran said the old courthouse has served the county well since 1911, and should be preserved as a museum to the county’s history.
“I’d like for my children and grandchildren to be able to come and visit this building, and say, This is where my father was sworn into office,’” Moran said. “My grandfather was sworn into office in that building in the 1930s, and it sent chills up my spine when I was sworn in there last January.”
Moran said most of the county's growth is taking place north between the Interstate and Kiln, and the seat of county government could be moved by having state legislators change the location through passing a local and private bill. “Or, Bay St. Louis might want to extend their city limits to accommodate a new courthouse.”
He pointed out that the original courthouse and seat of government was built in the 1800s and was in Caesar, which is now
part of Pearl River County; then moved to Gainesville, then to Bay St. Louis.
Asked her feelings about a new courthouse, District 3 Supervisor Lisa Cowand said, “I don’t think we need one. We need to look at renovating the
BY RICHARD MEEK There were few surprises in the local elections for Election Commissioners. Only Jay Lagasse of Bay St. Louis was defeated in his bid for re-election.
In District One, incumbent Jim Odom easily defeated Republican challenger Ina Usher, 1,500-836.
Republican Wayne Spiers ran unopposed in District Two and tallied 1,671 voters.
Lagasse was upset by Republican James Kasper in District Three. Kasper rode the strong support of Diamondhead voters to outgain Lagasse, 1,851-1,490.
present old courthouse and making it handicapped accessible."
Cowand said she thought, “The McDonald building is going to relive the present overcrowding.”
Kasper outpolled Lagasse in the Diamondhead West precinct by a 1,236-394 margin. Lagasse won every other precinct. Kasper and Spiers are the only Republican Election Commissioners.
District Four Commissioner Jean Dorsey held on against Republican challenger Joey Manieri. Dorsey garnered 1,002 votes, Manieri 886. Manieri lost last summer in the District 4 Supervisor primary.
District Five Commissioner Keith Hoda easily retained his seat with a convincing victory over Republican challenger Wanda Fouasnon.
Commissioner races