CAO on discovery of faultline features: ‘Even if they had to
build the whole building on the eastern portion of that site, it
would still work.’
HOLLISTER
County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson this week said the Fremont School site for a new courthouse “still looks good” despite the recent discovery of faultline features on the property.
Thompson, who spoke at the Lunch with Leaders gathering Wednesday put on by the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce, noted how geologists hired to examine potential faultline activity found what they call “features” under the largely preferred site. Scientists don’t yet know whether it’s possibly a “fatal flaw,” she said, while noting it could be another couple more months before that determination is made.
But Thompson also pointed out how the project’s engineering consultants already had drawn a “brief redesign to the building configuration” to accommodate potential changes due to possible seismic activity.
“Even if they had to build the whole building on the eastern portion of that site, it would still work,” Thompson said.
She did say that government leaders continue proceeding with examinations of two sites, the Fremont School downtown and a property off Flynn Road near the county jail. If building the new, state-funded courthouse downtown is unfeasible, Thompson said leaders could “immediately” move forward on the alternate site without losing time or money.
“It still looks good for the downtown site,” she said. “We’re not ready to give up on that. The state is not as well.
“That’s a good thing.”
