By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

The county’s courthouse window restoration project, begun in August 2016 and completed in March 2017, has been chosen for a merit award from Kansas Preservation Alliance.

The alliance sent county clerk Tina Spencer a letter inviting her to attend its annual award presentation May 18 in Topeka.

Windows were removed and taken off-site to repair and refinish them. Workers wearing protective suits removed asbestos caulking and stripped lead paint from window frames.

Work began on the north side of the building and continued east, south, and west.

New storm windows were added to complete the work.

The $679,503 project was funded with a special building project fund the county has been setting aside for years.

Commissioners considered the work urgent when they voted to hire Kansas City-based Re-View to restore damaged windows and make all courthouse windows operable.

“We’ve got windows that could fall out,” commissioner Randy Dallke said at that time.

Because windows were restored rather than replaced, the county qualified for tax credits through the state historical society to defray costs. The county was awarded $197,053 in tax credits, which were sold to Citizens State Bank for $185,229.83.