A review of interior design options for the $10 million Vilas County courthouse expansion brought out different opinions from members of the public property committee centered on what the budget can handle verses what the public perception may be.
Kelly Hensler of Potter Lawson, the firm doing the design, presented what different finishes would look like and the cost differences. For instance, the public entry could be tile or walk off carpet with Supervisor Steve Doyan saying carpeting would reduce tripping but would accumulate salt debris in winter. He also felt full tile walls in bathrooms was double the labor for drywall.
But the give and take focused on what the public perception would be with Supervisor Carolyn Ritter feelings the public view would be somewhat conservative once inside. Board Chairman Ron DeBruyne said he was in many courthouses and while some appeared to be built as edifices to government, Vilas was looking at a functional government facility and he was pleased with the design.
A security station at the entrance will be included in the design but not fully operational until later.
