An insurance safety inspection at the historic Navajo County Courthouse in downtown Holbrook revealed a long list of deficiencies that must be corrected in order to maintain insurance on the building.
“We have to fix these deficiencies so the county can keep insurance on the building,” Holbrook City Manager Ray Alley said.
Alley recently met with county officials to discuss the issues with the courthouse. The county owns the building, but under an agreement with the city, the county has taken responsibility for maintaining the exterior, while the city has agreed to maintain the interior. The Navajo County Historical Society is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the museum housed within the courthouse.
The city manager noted that the majority of the issues identified in the 10-page insurance report are related to the building’s electrical system. Wiring within the courthouse is dated and considered unsafe by today’s standards, he explained. There are also some problems with the outdoor wiring to the gazebo, such as uncovered outlets. Other issues identified through the inspection include peeling paint, deteriorating stucco and a swamp cooler that poses a flood risk.
“There were a few other things, but I’d say 95 percent of it was electrical,” Alley remarked.
The city has agreed to handle the electrical work and bring the wiring up to the standards required by the insurance company. The remainder of the issues will be addressed by Navajo County staff.
Alley explained that most of the electric work can be completed by city crews and he expects that the cost will be limited mainly to labor.
“It doesn’t look like a whole lot of money,” he said. “I’d estimate under $300 to $400 in hard cash and the rest will be in city labor.”
He hopes to have city staff members start on the project right away so that any issues with the insurance company can be cleared up quickly.
Navajo County will be responsible for removing flaking and peeling paint and repainting, as well as repairing areas where stucco is pulling away from the building. A swamp cooler unit added to the building must also be removed. According to Alley, the insurance company identified it as posing a risk of flooding the courtroom if it were to leak or overflow.
The county is also seeking grant funding to replace the courthouse roof. Although not identified as a safety issue in the insurance report, the roof has been allowing water into the courthouse, causing cosmetic damage to ceilings and walls. If received, the grant will cover the cost of roofing materials, and the county will supply the labor needed to replace the roof.
