Here's what you need to know about the Government Center damage and its impact

City leaders figure around 36,000 gallons of water from a busted main atop the Columbus Government Center tower poured down through the building early Monday, leaving courtrooms and other offices on floors 11, 10 and nine “devastated,” Mayor Teresa Tomlinson said at a news conference Monday evening.

Only “essential” personnel are to report to work there in the next few days, with department heads deciding which workers those will be. Some may be shifted to other city facilities.

Tomlinson said the city needs at least 72 hours just to assess the damage and determine what the next steps will be. Water still is draining through the floors, she said.

John Hudgison, the city’s director of inspections and codes, said he walked through the building Monday with insurance adjusters, who have designated it a “major case.” Already demolition has begun on saturated ceiling tiles while workers vacuum up the water. Carpet removal will follow, he said.

Another inspection will occur on Wednesday or Thursday, he said.

The public remains barred from most of the tower, where Tomlinson said water has seeped into the electrical system, as evidenced by crackling sounds coming through the walls. The mayor said she burned her hand turning off a light in her conference room on the sixth floor, where sparks shot from the light switch.

No one without crucial business is advised to visit the building. The Probate Court on the sixth floor across from the mayor’s office will issue no gun permits or marriage licenses this week, Tomlinson said.

Anyone with questions is advised to call the 311 citizens service line, which also can be reached at 706-653-4000.

As most of the water damage affected the tower’s north side on the upper floors, the two wings remain functional, so residents may have business to conduct in those offices.

The deputies providing Government Center security were to close a security checkpoint Tuesday afternoon on the south side of the tower’s ground floor, but they opened a new one at the Second Avenue entrance to the east wing, where the Superior Court clerk was setting up a temporary office on the second floor.

The staff there was conducting some business Tuesday, and Superior Court Clerk Shasta Glover said the temporary location should be fully functional when clerks resume a normal 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule Wednesday.

Some court sessions still will be held at the complex this week, and city officials spent much of their Monday evening news conference announcing these schedules:

SUPERIOR COURT

Domestic hearings are to follow this schedule:

• On Tuesday and Wednesday, Judge Ben Land’s hearings will be 9:30 a.m. at the Harris County Courthouse, 102 N. College St., Hamilton.
• On Thursday and Friday, Judge Gil McBride’s domestic hearings will be at the Harris County Courthouse at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

All other civil and domestic courts have been canceled for the rest of the week.

The criminal courts are to follow this schedule:

• On Tuesday and Wednesday, Judge McBride’s cases will be heard at 9 a.m. at the Columbus Recorder’s Court building, 702 E. 10^th St.
• On Thursday and Friday, Judge Land will hear criminal cases at Recorder’s Court at 9 a.m.

All other Superior Court criminal proceedings, including drug court, have been canceled for the week.

STATE COURT

On Friday, Judge Ben Richardson’s State Court traffic and criminal arraignments will be held at 9 a.m. in the jury room on the Government Center’s ground floor.

MUNICIPAL COURT

The June docket call for Muscogee Municipal Court on the eighth floor has been postponed to July 17, and the court will mail notices reminding those affected. Landlord-tenant hearings set for Thursday also will be postponed, and notices of that change also will be sent out. Criminal court hearings set for Wednesday and Friday will be held at 8:30 a.m. in Juvenile Court, in the Government Center’s east wing.

JUVENILE COURT

Juvenile Court in the center’s east wing is to follow this schedule:

• On Tuesday, delinquency hearings will be held from 9:30 a.m. until around 2 p.m.
• On Wednesday, dependency hearings will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. or later, and preliminary hearings and preliminary protective hearings will start at 2 p.m.
• On Thursday, delinquency hearings will be 9:30 a.m. until around 2 p.m.
• On Friday, preliminary hearings and preliminary protective hearings will be 2 p.m.
• On Monday, preliminary hearings and preliminary protective hearings will start at 2 p.m.
• On Tuesday, June 26, delinquent hearings will be from 9:30 a.m. until about 2 p.m.
• On Wednesday, June 27, dependency hearings will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. or later, and preliminary hearings and preliminary protective hearings will start at 2 p.m.
• On Thursday, June 28, delinquent hearings will be from 9:30 a.m. until about 2 p.m.
• On Friday, June 29, preliminary hearings and preliminary protective hearings will be at 2 p.m.

This story was originally published June 19, 2018 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Here's what you need to know about the Government Center damage and its impact."