County finishes upgrade to annex

The Donley County Courthouse Annex has an entirely new look inside following a renovation completed Monday.

Judge John Howard said the county spent about $50,000 with local designers and contractors A Fine Feathered Nest to update the space.

“The work returns the space to the architect’s original design with updated finishes,” Howard said. “I think it is more functional and more attractive.”

The project took about two weeks to complete and focused on the clerk and tax assessor offices as well as the main hallway in the building.

Asbestos in the original floor tile was abated and new flooring installed, new ceiling tiles were installed, and the space was painted throughout.

The biggest changes, however, came with the removal of a partition put up in front of the clerk’s office and the re-opening of the customer service wall of the tax assessor’s office. The result is a space that is more open, more accommodating, and more accessible, officials say. New countertops also make the space look even more attractive.

Visitors to the clerk’s office now are not trapped in a tight space between the counter and a partition, and folks renewing their vehicle tags or registering to vote at the tax assessor’s office can now be easily waited on two at a time since the long counter and service window is now fully restored to its original design.

While a roll down gate had continued to be used at the clerk’s office. The gate of the tax assessor’s office service window was sealed in the ceiling but still fully functional once the wall was removed.

Judge Howard said county officials are now considering what might be done to exterior of the 1970s annex building to make it look more complimentary of the 1890 Courthouse.