No restoration work is planned for next year at the Douglas County Courthouse, but consulting and architecture firms will be retained to prepare for later projects.

The Douglas County Commission made that decision during their Monday meeting. Commissioners Bob Johnson and Charles Jones agreed to pay a total of $87,780 to Treanor Architects of Lawrence and DGM Consultants of Overland Park to prepare plans. Commissioner Jere McElhaney was absent from the meeting.

Because of concerns about economic conditions, the county decided not to allocate funds for more work in 2009. In fall 2007, commissioners agreed to hire a contractor to perform more than $1 million for the first phase of restoration work in 2008.

The repairs, however, made Douglas County eligible for an estimated $313,000 in state tax credits.