FARMINGTON – Franklin County commissioners voted to hire a Lewiston and Bethel-based architectural, engineering and design firm to do a space and structural needs study of the courthouse and the sheriff’s office building.

Commissioners accepted the recommendation of a county facilities study committee Tuesday and hired Smith Reuter Lull Architects, with offices in Lewiston and Bethel, to do the work.

The firm’s proposed fees total $31,500 if commissioners decide to do everything the company outlined. The county has the money put aside for the study, that will also include future planning and design.

Study committee Chairman Richard Morton told commissioners the panel reviewed seven proposals and individually scored them in different categories.

“It was clear in all of the presentation that the courthouse building and sheriff’s office are deficient and inadequate for services provided, not that we all are not making due,” Morton said.

Space is tight in both buildings and security, energy efficiency and environmental aspects have deficiencies, he said.

“We were essentially on the same page with scoring,” he said, and there was definitely a group that scored substantially higher than the lower four.

The committee decided to interview four firms over four days spending 90 minutes with each company.

“Again out of four a clear No. 1 choice appeared,” Morton said. “Out of 10 committee members Smith Reuter was either first choice for eight committee members or second choice for two. No other firm came as close as they came to top.”

The firm’s experience in other projects, including a similar project recently completed in Oxford County, which involved the historic brick courthouse, relocating and renovating space for commissioners and for probate court, and analyzing the space needs of all county departments was a factor in the decision, Morton said.

The firm has also constructed fire and rescue facilities for Bethel and Durham, he said, and has significant historic preservation and renovation experience in other towns as well as extensive space planning experience in town offices, schools and courthouses.

Other qualities that stood out were grant-writing experience to help with cost of projects and communication skills, he added.

Morton recommended a new building committee be formed and include all of the departments, including court, district attorney and deeds be represented along with others.

County Clerk Julie Magoon said that was the plan.