(La Porte County, IN) - The well over century old courthouse in downtown La Porte has over 80 stained glass windows.  A former mayor of La Porte is asking they be restored.

 

Leigh Morris told the La Porte County Commissioners on Wednesday night the last window restored was nearly 50 years ago despite the collection having significant value.  Morris said experts reviewing the windows have found a need for maintenance and repairs.

 

“There were cracks in the windows, gaps in the glass, frames rotted and that many of them needed maintenance rather badly,” Morris said.

 

Morris said another expert suggested developing a 10 year maintenance plan for the windows “so that over the 10 years we would gradually get all of the windows up into good condition and do it in a priority order.”  Morris said a formal study of the stained glass windows would cost anywhere from three to fifteen thousand dollars. 

 

In response, the commissioners voted 2-1 against providing any funding to conduct the study.  Commission President Connie Gramarossa said money is tight from a projected loss of more than $2 million in revenue for county government next year from statewide property tax reform.  Gramarossa said the budget squeeze is happening at a time when necessities such as leaking showers in the jail and bathrooms in a county office building need fixing.

 

Gramarossa suggested the group Morris represented, Preserve Historic La Porte, raise the money to pay for the study.