Lake County is breaking ground on its first major building project since the expansion of the
Courthouse as construction for a 15,000 square foot courthouse annex has begun. The annex is
located southwest of the present courthouse and Swank Enterprises is the general contractor.
Scheduled for completion in the summer of 2025, the annex will provide space for several
County departments and one elected office, including elections, planning, environmental health,
Superintendent of Schools, GIS and IT. Total cost of the project is seven million dollars and the
building will be named the “Dave Stipe Annex” in honor of former long-time Commissioner Stipe.
Stipe was a beloved public servant who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the citizens of
Lake County. His dedication to serving the community and his unwavering commitment to
upholding the values of integrity, honesty, and transparency have left a lasting impact on the
county.
“This project has been in the planning stages for several years. The new building will allow us to
move elections to a much larger and more accessible space as well as providing additional
room during election cycles. Moving the elections office will also provide space in the basement
of the present courthouse for expansion of the detention center,” said Commissioner Chairman
Gale Decker.