By Barbara Harrington

Senior Writer

Judges were having a hard time hearing in the courtroom.

That was the impetus for a recently completed remodeling project at the Monroe County Courthouse.

Thanks to grants and local legislators, more than courtroom acoustics was addressed in the almost year-long renovation process.

"Judges had been complaining of the acoustics, not being able to hear," said Sonny Clay, county administrator, "so we began looking at what we could do. We tried doing some things in-house (a dropped ceiling), but Archives and History sent us a cease and desist; this wasn't within their guidelines." (The courthouse is on the National Register and is a Mississippi Landmark).

With the help of Senator Hob Bryan and Arch Dalrymple of Amory, for many years a director on the Archives and History board, the county was made aware of and applied for grants to help with renovation. To start, the county received a $400,000 Archives and History Community Heritage Grant, then got another $855,000 from the same source. Clay said Senator Bryan was also able to get an additional $20,000 Community Heritage Grant. With the help of U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, the county was awarded a $150,000 Save America's Treasures Grant, which was used toward a county match for the other grants.

"During this time, the architects were working on plans," Clay said. "These changed to not only address the acoustics problem, but to include the whole circuit court area."

The project also included roof repairs, opening up the balcony, and some sealing and caulking of doors and windows. The contract for the project was let for $1.7 million, with Tombigbee Contractors of Aberdeen, owned by Charles and Brenda Eaves, as low bidder. The contract was bid in December 2007 and awarded in January 2008.

"We were fortunate to have a local contractor as the successful bidder," Clay said, "which allowed a good bi of the cost to be spent here in Monroe County, both in labor and materials.

"We would like to commend Brenda and Charles Eaves. We feel like having a local contractor, they took more interest in it than someone out of town might."