WASHBURN A group that is trying to save the old McLean County Courthouse from being torn down have filed a legal complaint in South Central District Court against the McLean County Board of Commissioners, according to a press release.
The McLean County Heritage Preservation Foundation said in a press release that it is asking for a judge to grant an immediate injunction to stop further demolition of the old courthouse in Washburn.
Voters approved a new courthouse in November 2010 and demolition of the old courthouse and its 1963 addition. A new courthouse is under construction and the commission has refused to halt plans to demolish the old building.
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File Photo
A group has filed a complaint to try to stop demolition of the old McLean County Courthouse, pictured in this 2010 file photo.
Commissioners have said that the old courthouse has bat droppings in its walls and two employees at the courthouse became ill with histoplasmosis, which can be caused by bat droppings.
The group trying to save the building say it is historic and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They say the building could be rented out as office space. They want to acquire a grant from the National Historic Trust to hire experts to prove that there are no health hazards in the building and hire experts from the North Dakota Historical Society to prove that the building is structurally sound and safe with proper maintenance. They also want to secure grants from the North Dakota Department of Commerce Dept. and the North Dakota State Historical Society to help renovate the building for future use.
The group said it filed the complaint on Oct. 11 and served the commission with the complaint on Tuesday morning during the regular commission meeting.
Dennis Kost is the group's spokesman.