The County Courthouse had concerns about the unexpected price tag associated with the new Silver Summit Services Building, leading designers to scale the project back. But the Summit County Council on Wednesday seemed to still have questions about whether they were getting enough bang for the taxpayers’ buck.
The County Council in 2022 budgeted $27 million for the proposed building, which is designed to alleviate pressure as the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney’s Office outgrow their facilities. However, officials learned in the spring the cost had skyrocketed and the new estimate was around $36 million.
The over-budget project caused the scope of work to shift from a standalone building near the Home Depot off U.S. 40 that addressed a broad range of needs to an extension of the existing Justice Center. Now, the cost is about $24 million and it will mostly fund more space for county employees working in criminal justice.
“We have other needs in the county and the first building that we were addressing met some DMV needs, maybe even some Council space was discussed. Exactly what the next building might be is still in flux,” County Manager Shayne Scott said during the County Council meeting on Wednesday. “Today, I think we’re thinking there are some needs the Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney’s Office have that we need to meet in the interim. My being disappointed that it costs $10 million more than I thought it would, or should, doesn’t get us a building. The costs are the costs and I believe this is a legitimate need.”
Sheriff Frank Smith and County Attorney Margaret Olson also advocated for the project. They said they started to run out of space when Park City and Summit County combined the 911 service in 2017.
The pair detailed stories of lawyers working out of closets or storage space and other employees who have to balance sharing an office while managing sensitive cases or materials. Olson described her own office as being converted into a war room with half of it transformed into a conference area. Yet most of the County Attorney’s Office meetings are held at the Children’s Justice Center because it’s the closest place where all of the team can fit.
There are around 19 employees in the County Attorney’s Office and more than 100 in the Sheriff’s Office.
County Councilor Malena Stevens asked how long the departments could continue to use the existing Justice Center if the project is delayed. Chief Prosecutor Patricia Cassell said the offices are only growing — and it will continue to expand with more people living and working in Summit County.
Olson affirmed the need is great. She anticipated the expansion would leave the Justice Center well-outfitted until her retirement. Scott previously estimated it could serve the Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney’s Office for 30 to 50 years.
The revised plan would add almost 29,000 square feet to the building and would also include remodeling two floors as well as site work. Ultimately, it would create new office space, training rooms for departments such as SWAT or victim advocates, a modernized break room, additional evidence storage, a reception area and more. The expansion addresses security concerns, too.
County Council Chair Roger Armstrong said he was surprised by how high the price still was after narrowing the project.
Representatives from the architectural design firm indicated they could continue to cut costs by trimming more of the budget, but questioned whether that would be counterproductive to the overall project.
County Councilor Canice Harte said he thought it would be better to spend the money now than wait because costs could continue to increase.
Ultimately, the panel wanted more time to discuss how to move forward as two members were absent and one was participating via Zoom.
The County Courthouse plans to pay for the project through bond funds, allocations from the American Rescue Plan Act, the general fund and the municipal services fund. Officials previously hoped to use Transient Room Tax revenue for the project, but it was no longer eligible for those funds after the focus shifted.
Summit County Chief Financial Officer Matt Leavitt maintained the county is in a comfortable position. He said there’s around $12 million in bond funds that can be used for the project as well as $5 million from ARPA. Approximately $7 million will come from general fund balances.
“A lot of it will be the same sources that were programmed into the first facility so those funds will be used up to create a safe space (for the Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney’s Office),” he said.
While the proposed expansion of the Justice Center addresses the immediate needs of the criminal justice divisions, Scott was hopeful an updated facilities study in 2024 would help the county determine what its needs are and guide the next conversations.