$40 Million Courthouse Renovation Sparks Debate Among Lenoir County Commissioners

A proposed renovation of the Lenoir County Courthouse became one of the major points of debate during the county commissioners’ FY 2026-27 budget workshop, as board members weighed building needs against concerns about taxpayer burden.

County Manager Michael James said the courthouse renovation is estimated at about $40 million and remains the largest capital project facing the county.

“The courthouse project remains the biggest budget pressure,” James said during the workshop.

James said the renovation would not be merely cosmetic, but would address major internal building systems.

“This isn’t a cosmetic renovation,” James said. “This is replacing the guts of that courthouse. Old steam pipes, old plumbing, the electrical system is old. It is really a total redoing of that facility.”

James said the work would position the courthouse for decades of use.

“Where the next 30, 40 years, this county has a courthouse that the commissioners are not going to worry about,” James said. “It’ll be taken care of, it’ll be maintained from there on out.”

The proposed project would also improve the sheriff’s office customer service area and add courtroom space. James said the design would allow the county to turn the existing superior courtroom into two courtrooms.

“We were able to actually make that two courtrooms,” James said. “Looking at the next 50 years, you probably have plenty of courtroom space.”

Commissioner J. Mac Daughety questioned whether now is the right time to move forward with the project.

“I just don’t think at this point in time, again, given where the stress is on our average citizen, that it’s appropriate time to think about doing the courthouse,” Daughety said.

Daughety said he could support public safety-related projects such as an EMS station and sheriff’s annex, but suggested the courthouse could be delayed.

“The EMS station, the sheriff’s annex down in the southern county, those are public safety projects and they’re not so significant that they would alter our options,” Daughety said. “But the courthouse renovation, I would hope that one would be in future year consideration to give us the flexibility to consider giving some kind of relief to our taxpayers.”

Chair Linda Rouse Sutton said courthouse employees and citizens have already waited long enough.

“I guess I think about our employees who worked over there without heat, without air conditioning, with leaking and everything else, and they’ve endured a lot,” Sutton said. “For us to keep putting it off, I think we’re doing them an injustice.”

Sutton also said the courthouse has accessibility concerns.

“Our courthouse, in my opinion, is not up to the standard it should be so far as accommodating people with disabilities,” Sutton said. “If it’s raining, those folks have to get in the rain in order to get in the courthouse.”

Commissioner June Cummings said the county has already spent years planning for the project.

“Commissioner Daughety’s words, it’s for future years. Well, I feel like we’re in future years,” Cummings said. “We’ve been planning this for my entire time on this board, and I think we’re in those years now.”

Commissioner Keith King asked whether the current tax rate would allow the county to move forward with the courthouse, EMS station and other projects.

“At the current rate, we could move forward with the courthouse and the EMS and the...” King said, before James responded that final decisions would depend on bids.

“Once the bids come in, we see what we’re looking at,” James said.

James said if commissioners reduce the tax rate, the county may need to revisit the rate later if it chooses to move forward with the courthouse.

“If you were to cut it, we would have to adjust that tax rate up at whatever point in time the board decided to move forward with a courthouse renovation project,” James said. “We would not be able to support it with a reduced rate.”

No final action was taken during the workshop. Commissioners are expected to revisit budget decision points before the budget public hearing.

Commissioners are scheduled to meet again Monday, June 1, at 9 a.m. in the Commissioner’s Chambers on the second floor of the Lenoir County Administration Building, 101 N. Queen St. in Kinston. The board is expected to continue budget discussions ahead of the June 15 meeting.