(JUNEAU) People who work in Dodge County buildings — and the residents who rely on them — could see major changes ahead. An architectural review presented to the County Board this week shows several facilities are worn out, overcrowded, or struggling to meet basic needs.
Venture Architects is still finishing its full Master Services Plan, but project lead Brad Kwasny gave the board a preview Tuesday night. He notes that the county’s campus has good bones in some places, but years of patchwork fixes have caught up.
The clearest example, he said, is the Henry Dodge Office Building. From the outside, it’s solid. Inside, it’s a different story.
“Everything inside of it is terrible,” Kwasny told supervisors, saying the building’s plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems are all beyond their life expectancy. He said the firm will recommend vacating and demolishing the building, calling it the most practical option given the scale of repairs needed.
Other departments are dealing with cramped layouts or offices scattered across multiple floors. The administration building is in better shape structurally, but he noted that employees have been shuffled so many times that the space no longer matches how departments actually function.
One department stands out for its urgent needs: the medical examiner. Kwasny described the current setup as “abysmal,” with staff split between buildings and some equipment stored behind pallets in the aging Henry Dodge facility.
Several public safety facilities could see changes too. The Sheriff’s Office and jail sit a block apart today, which slows operations. Evidence storage — already moved once because of tornado damage — may also be better suited elsewhere.
Venture Architects will now attach price tags to each option before returning to the County Board with a full set of recommendations at a future meeting.
