Coweta's historic

courthouse is going to get some stabilization to preserve it until the

county gets a new judicial center.

Last week,

the Coweta County Commission approved $40,000 for the engineering firm

of Gardner Spence Smith Tench and Hensley to do a structural analysis

and weatherproofing study for the courthouse.

The company

will study ways to stabilize the existing structure and pay particular

attention to the domed roof that may have received wind damage during

past tropical storms.

The company

will make recommendations to additional weatherproofing items that can

be done on the tower and other necessary measures to achieve a weatherproof

building.

For the last

few years, Coweta County has been pouring funds into the courthouse to

make repairs on the aging structure.

The county

is hopeful that a new judicial complex will come online in 2005 and is

making repairs and structural adjustments to keep the facility safe.

County officials

have not determined what the courthouse will be used for after the county

moves the court uses out of the structure.

Some ideas

that have been proposed include a visitors' center or a museum.