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Page 2, May 27, 2019, The Islander
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former Detention Center site.
According to the Heery study, Op
tion C includes “a new joint-use fa
cility which accommodates all the
County agencies, Juvenile courts and
the court support agencies and is built
as a three story courthouse annex.”
This option is more efficient resulting
in a single new structure and thus re
ducing cost and phasing. This option
could be designed for future court
rooms or court support beyond the
forecast needs.
The study recommended demolish
ing the old jail and either Option B or
C.
Browning, pointing out Option A is
not an option anymore, said, ‘Tin not
sure option B is doable. Option C not
only addresses your courthouse needs,
it gets people out of Office Bark. We
could move court administration out
of the courthouse and into a new stand
alone building and leave the COUXt-
house just for the courts.”
“I agree with Judge Kelley that we
Turn to Page 6
Courthouse
Courthouse
Continued from Page 1
chairman Mike Browning said, “The
board of commissioners is consider
ing a SPLOST next year, 2020, it’s not
firm yet, but we are working on it and
this courthouse issue today could po
tentially be on it. We’re talking today
because the courthouse would have a
significant cost. We have a laundry list
of projects for a SPLOST if we don’t do
the court project. That money could go
for a lot of other stuff, that’s why we
are talking about it now. If this project
goes further we will have to look at the
cost. This today is just the first step.”
Judge Scarlett told the BOC that
while they have space issues in the
courthouse, they are not in a crisis
situation yet, but they are “stressed.”
Scarlett listed all the offices and de
partments that use the building.
He talked about the Historic Court
house and the move to the new one
in 1991. He said, “When they were in
the Historic Courthouse in the 1980s,
they were in a crisis situation, that’s
why the new courthouse was built.”
Note: The new courthouse was built
with the county’s second SPLOST.
Continuing Scarlett said, “When
the new courthouse was built it was
supposed to be designed for future
expansion, but plans changed and it
is smaller. When it opened in 1991 it
was already at full capacity.”
“When it opened,” said Scarlett,
“everything moved in there except for
Juvenile Court which has never been
in there. Some offices have moved out.
Probate Court was in Office Park and
is now in the Historic Courthouse.”
Commenting on the Heery study,
Scarlett said the consultant looked
at “functional deficiencies as well as
space issues,” and at inmate transpor
tation to the facility, as well as inside
the building.
“The courthouse is crammed and
inefficient,” said Scarlett.
“We have about 77,000 sq. ft. now
and need about 108,000 sq. ft. inside
the building,” said Scarlett.
“We also need to discuss safety,”
said Scarlett, “everyone needs to feel
safe there. Sheriff Jump and his staff
do a great job, but the building was
designed and built to 1980 security
standards. Back then no one would
have thought that a judge would be
shot and killed in a courthouse. But
now it’s a reality and we need to up
grade security. In one case we have a
holding cell 15 ft. away from a judge’s
chambers.”
“We have a lot of security issues,
maybe some for which there is no
fix,” said, “Scarlett, “But some that
do need to be addressed. We need to
change the entrance. And there’s a big
issue with transporting inmates. We
have no sally port. Once inside, there
are times the deputies have to take
inmates outside to get them from one
side of the courthouse to the other.”
Scarlett said there was also secu
rity issues with Juvenile Court at of
fice park.
Scarlett said, ‘We are asking you to
consider our concerns with space and
security.”
Judge Kelley also spoke confirming
Scarlett’s position.
“Stressed is a good word for it,”
said Kelley, “For example, if we have
two Superior Court cases going at
one time, the Jury Assembly Room is
pushed to the limit. We want to plan
ahead and take a deep dive into the
Heery study would help. Maybe you
could appoint a committee to do it and
see if it is workable. There are a lot of
options. Maybe it could be done over
time, so it wouldn’t take a huge bite
out of the SPLOST.”
Responding to a question from
Browning, Kelley said, “We don’t
qualify for a new (sixth) judge right
now, but if Glynn keeps growing may
be we’d get a sixth judge. Sometimes
when we have a senior judge come in
or another judge if we have to recuse
ourselves, we have no space for them
to work.”
Kelley explained they have three
Superior Court rooms, and have Di
vorce Court two or three times a week,
along with Child Support Court.
Scarlett said they really don’t want
to put people in the Jury Assembly
room or the Grand Jury Room.
Commissioner Bill Brunson was
sympathetic, wondering where the
county would be in 10 years.
The Heery study offered three op
tions. Option A included the renova
tion of the former Detention Center,
so that option is out.
Under Option B, the detention facil
ity is demolished and a new facility is
built on the site, which accommodates
all the County agencies and the Juve
nile courts. The balance of the site is
developed as surface public parking to
serve the campus.
Under Option C, the detention fa
cility is demolished and the site is de
veloped as surface public parking to
serve the campus. The ‘campus’ is the
entire area that contains both court
houses, the Pate building,and the
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