In a new development in the ongoing Dane County Board of Supervisors debate over the location of the new Dane County Courthouse, Sup. David Blaska, District 7, has introduced a resolution to abandon purchasing a building on the planned courthouse space, owned by state Senate President, Fred Risser, D-Madison.
After two independent audits of the property value, the board offered Risser $728,000 for his Hamilton Street law office, which sits on the proposed site of the new building. Risser asked for $1.7 million instead, telling the board that its offer was lower than what the owners of neighboring buildings received. Risser and the board have been negotiating over the price for several months.
\I hope that Sen. Risser realizes that Sup. Blaska is pretty serious about his resolution, and if in fact it passes, it could impact dramatically on the value of Sen. Risser's property, and deny him the opportunity to capitalize on the value of that property,"" said Sup. Dennis O'Loughlin, District 22. ""Because if we don't take [Risser's property] ... its value is negligible.""
O'Loughlin said the courthouse could be built without using Risser's property by shifting the building over and conserving space inside.
""If in fact Sen. Risser does not sell ... we'll build around him,"" according to O'Loughlin.
Sup. Tom Powell, District 5, said he is not in support of the measure.
""I don't think that the County Board is going to be changing anything just because David Blaska decides otherwise,"" Powell said. ""Mr. Blaska represents the far right. ... The fact that he's going against the Democratic president of the Senate is more about partisan politics than fiscal responsibility.""
Powell added that in the end, he believed Risser would probably settle for around the amount the County Board has offered him.
When asked about possible delays to the project due to the disputed land, O'Loughlin said any changes would probably not result
in delays.
""It's on schedule,"" he said. ""It's a tight schedule,"" he said.
However, Powell said that the plans may be held up anyway because of the county's possible budget problems.
""There's probably going to be an incredible delay in the project anyway because of the incredible deficit we're looking at,"" Powell said. ""[The courthouse] may be put on the slow track.""
Blaska's resolution may come up for a County Board vote within the next few weeks.
