Sandra Lofland-Brown stood before the Montgomery County Council on Tuesday and, as she has done for the past 18 years, asked for the council’s support in restoring the courthouse clock tower.
During her presentation she introduced Marsh Davis, Indiana Landmarks president, who had a major announcement concerning funds to complete the project.
After Lofland-Brown presented the history of the bell tower project, which began in 1996, Marsh announced his organization was prepared to use endowment funds to pay $70,000 in a matching grant with the community. If the committee can raise $70,000 before March 2015, then Indiana Landmarks will use funds from an endowment obtained from a deceased Montgomery County resident to provide the balance of $70,000. Davis said Indiana Landmarks will give the committee $5,000 per year for the next 14 years which is the interest earned from the endowment funds.
“We have followed this project for 18 years with great interest,” Davis said. “We would like to see the project completed in time for the upcoming Indiana Bicentennial. The Indiana Bicentennial Committee has endorsed this project and we think now is the time to get it done.”
Lofland-Brown said her desire to complete the project is not for her, but for a greater good.
“I believe we need to restore the tower for our community and for generations to come,” Lofland-Brown said. “We need to restore the courthouse to its original grandeur.”
Montgomery County Councilman Tom Utley hopes the funds can be raised in time to meet the March deadline.
“I hope we can find the money the committee needs to help complete this project,” Utley said. “I believe it is important to remember our heritage.”
Utley also had a plan to contact some people in the community who he believes might help raise the needed funds.
After the meeting, Lofland-Brown, Davis and David Manning of Campbellsville Industries, whose company is the new tower contractor, went to the top of the courthouse to inspect the roof and the tower’s base, which is on the west end of the building. Montgomery County Building Administrator Marc Bonwell joined the group to answer questions they might have concerning the building.
A study developed by a structural engineer was completed in 1996 and Bonwell will encourage county officials to review the study to make certain the roof can support the new 20,000 pound clock tower.
Bonwell said there will be an undetermined cost to prepare for the installation of a new tower. The severe weather siren will have to be moved and some additional work on the base will be necessary.
The clock tower committee has raised $140,000 which represents half of the funds needed for the entire project.