In Columbus County, North Carolina, county officials have begun the first of several expected meetings to determine how the county’s historic courthouse will be used in the coming years. The building, which is nearly a century old, has fallen into disrepair. Many improvements are needed: windows need to be repaired, cracks in the walls must be addressed, and the flooring is distressed and worn down. The building is also small given the demands modern legal proceedings would place upon it, and the cramped nature of the building poses something of a fire hazard.

In addition to the numerous structural issues which plague the property, concerns have also been raised about the presence of toxic mold and asbestos.

Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of mesothelioma patients succumb to this aggressive form of cancer in less than two years following diagnosis.

County commissioners have voted to allow an architect to assess the building. The architect will then determine if the historic courthouse can be renovated, or if it would make more sense to build an entirely new courthouse. The historic courthouse will not be demolished regardless of what the architect recommends. According to County Commissioner Amon McKenzie, the building has been registered as a historical site.

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