Paul Cain: “It’s a mess”

Paul Cain, the newest Oconee County councilman, has gotten his first look inside the old county courthouse. And, like others who’ve seen it, Cain calls the conditions a mess. The District 3 councilman said once the developers’ lease expires this summer, the council will be faced with either tearing down the 1956 building or repairing—expensive propositions either way, he says. One thing is very clear to Cain and that’s what he considers shortsightedness on the part of those in authority 10 years ago. He says the decision then against re-roofing the building did the taxpayers a disservice. Cain wants to avert anything like that from happening again. He’s planning an ordinance that’ll require the county to find a new use for an idle building or to tear it down when it ceases to be useful.