The new Sherburne County Judicial Services building is expected to be open for business June 11.
During a Government Center Expansion update Tuesday, Administrator Steve Taylor said construction is on schedule and there are a number of milestones coming up in the next seven weeks.
He said testing the new air handler units will begin next week to check on hot and cold air capacity. Fire and alarm systems will go on line April 30. The final clean-up starts May 1, with furniture installation to begin mid-May.
The county is expected to get its certificate of occupancy May 15 - not including the exterior. Taylor said the weather is slowing down the parking lot work.
“They planned to start next week - excavating. But that’s not going to happen,” he said. “If it stops snowing, gets warmer and we get rid of some of the frost, we could actually put some asphalt and curb and gutter out there.”
Departments can start moving in the building June 1. That’s also the date reconstruction begins in the old courts area of the Government Center.
“We’ll be gutting that space on the second floor and begin remodelling,” said Taylor.
Another date to remember is June 6, early afternoon, when the county plans to hold a ribbon cutting at the new building. The date is tentative, but the public can take a tour of the new facility because operations won’t begin until June 11.
Also part of the new building is a time capsule that will hold items from the county. It will be embedded in a wall to the left of the new reception area where a stone monument will mark its location.
“We asked the department heads to give us some artifacts,” said Taylor.
They provided photographs from the county’s Sesquicentennial, a Sherburne County potato recipe book, a flag, cap and coin from the sheriff’s department, plus two CD roms and a flash drive with photos.
“I’m a little concerned about the technology. They’re going to wonder what to do with this by then,” said Taylor. “But they’ll figure it out.”
He asked the board for suggestions to add to the time capsule.
Commissioner Lisa Fobbe suggested the old county logos and an arm patch from the sheriff’s office. She said she would also contact former Commissioner Rachel Leonard for ideas.
The time capsule will be opened June 6, 2068, which marks 50 years from the ribbon cutting in June.
