VAN BUREN -- Carter County commissioners made a verbal commitment Monday to return some official offices to a flood-damaged courthouse, if residents can raise money for repairs.
The Current River broke century-old records in 2017, damaging the stone facade building in downtown Van Buren that has been the county seat since 1871.
"God has blessed us with this river and He's not going to destroy us with it," said Linda Terry, among a dedicated group of volunteers who say they can get the funds to rehab the building.
They just need to know they have the commissioners' support before approaching donors, according to the group.
The commission also plans to accept money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to construct a new facility for county offices, the jail and sheriff's department.
Commissioners stopped short of the written promise requested during their regular meeting, but said the process has begun to get detailed estimates for repair work.
"I'm all for leaving the offices, like the main offices, the clerk, the recorder, the assessor, the collector, in the old courthouse," said western district commissioner Lynn Murdick, adding later, "I think the thing we need to do is raise the money and get the contractors going and get that courthouse back together before that other building is ever built."
Carter County officials have begun looking at properties for the site of a new building. An agreement still needs to be reached with FEMA regarding the final price of land and construction, presiding commissioner Donald Black said. No decisions will be made until a contract is executed with an architecture group. An architect could be picked before the end of the month, Black said.
"I don't understand the negativity here," Black said near the end of the approximately two-hour meeting. "We're trying to work together. We want to work together. We want to work this thing out. But it doesn't matter what we say ...
"We're not saying no. We're being crystal clear. We want the same thing. It still boils down to, we have to know how much money we need. If we can raise the money, that's awesome."
Black said the county could fill both the second floor of the old courthouse and a new facility. The prosecutor's office and University of Missouri Extension council offices were already in rented space before the flood, because of a shortage of room, he said.
The discussion centered around keeping county offices on the second floor, in case of future floods.
Black reiterated FEMA will not put any money toward repair of the old courthouse. Estimates by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found the cost of repairs would be more than half the cost of a new facility.
Resident Mike May said contractors would be able to submit new bids, for half the cost of the repair estimate issued by FEMA.
FEMA would not accept an estimate from the contractor, according to Black, who said the federal agency based its determination on the findings of the Corps of Engineers.
"FEMA makes that decision," Black said, also questioning how accurate the bid could be without detailed plans for the work that needs to be done.
Residents told officials a petition drive collected nearly 600 signatures over a weekend in an effort to get a November ballot issue regarding the courthouse. This represents only a fraction of the support for the project, they said.
The petition missed an Aug. 28 state deadline to be certified for the November election. The group was advised the next election would be held in April.
Resident Brenda May did not appear satisfied with the verbal assurances of the commission.
"You're talking in circles. These people have disbelief on what you say because you're talking in circles. They're asking direct questions," she said.
The situation is crystal clear, Black contended, saying if the county had the money today, the work would be done.
When Murdick was asked if he would put his commitment in writing, he said he was only one member of the commission.
"You've got to understand our skepticism, because one day FEMA is going to help and do it, and the next time they're not because the estimate came in too high," said Mike May. "We've been bounced back and forth on this from the beginning."
It's unlikely the community will be able to make repairs without FEMA, he said later.
"Everybody wants to believe that, but it takes 250 people throwing a $1,000 down just to get that. There's not a chance. You guys can say yeah, if you build it, we'll put the offices there, but we all know that's not going to happen. There's not a chance," he said.
Longtime resident Janet Jackson argued the community has come together many times to help individuals, and can do the same for the courthouse.
"When my house burnt, they raised money. People donated lumber. People donated everything to me," said Jackson, who appeared near tears. "We can raise this money."
Another resident asked the commission to consider splitting the new construction into two separate facilities, with county offices kept downtown.
Officials are in the process of determining how to set up an account for donations, said county clerk Leona Stephens.