The Lawrence County Commission has approved borrowing $30,000 from the county’s Neighborhood Investment Program to fund repairs to the courthouse dome.

Recent heavy rains revealed three leaks in the dome of the more than 100-year-old structure. The commissioners were able to get one estimate for the work, which is expected to cost $27,500.

At their Thursday meeting the commissioners agreed to seek the funding through the investment program where the county treasurer buys the bond of a government entity including villages and township at an interest rate less than that offered from a commercial lending agency. At the same time the rate is higher than what the treasurer can receive on certificates of deposits from banks allowing the county to earn a slightly higher interest rate.

The commissioners want to pay back the money within four years. No interest rate has been discussed yet.

The last time the dome was repaired was in 1969 at a cost of $800.

Also at the meeting the commissioners appropriated $240,000 to pay for the triennial photographing of real estate in the county. The aerial photography, partly done in three-dimension, provides the county auditor’s office with accurate records of all properties on the tax rolls.

In other action the commissioners:

• Requested the county engineer to conduct a study on County Road 62 at the request of Shawn Hollback of Willow Wood to see if the speed limit can be reduced;

• Hired Ash Hoop as an EMT intermediate with the county’s EMS at an undisclosed hourly rate;

• Approved a right of way permit for AT&T to enter County Road 51 to bury existing exposed cable.