The Barrow County Board of Commissioners will decide Tuesday night whether to move forward with millions of dollars of repairs to the historic courthouse complex in downtown Winder.
A committee comprised of several commissioners and county staffers decided last week to recommend that the BOC move forward with renovations not only to the courthouse but also to the adjoining courthouse annex and to the county’s former 90-bed jail that is connected to the courthouse by an underground tunnel.
Operations development manager Bob Hohe told the committee at the May 17 meeting that he and CFO Rose Kisaalita were still going through years of records to document the funding available for the project.
Numbers he presented to the committee indicate that the county could have close to $1 million more available for the project than the original $3.4 million earmarked from the 2005 bond proceeds. The 2005 referendum was for the simultaneous approval of $58 million in general obligation bonds and another six-year cycle of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.
Hohe said he and Kisaalita would present their findings to the BOC at tomorrow night’s meeting. But he estimated that the amount of funding at $4.25 million.
BOC to consider historic courthouse repairs Tues.
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#1
A Friend
on
05/23/11 at 09:48 AM
[Reply]
Why bother renovating the old jail? What would they use it for? A Bed and Breakfast? I'd much prefer that they raze both the annex and the jail and concentrate on renovating the old courthouse proper.
#2
Lifelong Citizen
on
05/23/11 at 10:14 AM
[Reply]
Just wondering where the county thinks they are going to get the money needed to do all of this?!? If it is projected to be $5 millon UNDER budget for the next fiscal year, how is this possible? I am a firm believer of using the buildings we've got. No reason to build new ones when there are tons of vacant buildings. Money doesn't grow on trees. This county has spent way too much on legal fees for BS situations for the Chairman. Boy, I hope Barrow Citizens rise to the occasion and vote wisely next time.
#2.1
Hugo
on
05/23/11 at 09:04 PM
[Reply]
Please post the addresses of these "tons of vacant buildings". Thank You.
#3
A Friend
on
05/23/11 at 10:54 AM
[Reply]
It'll be interesting to see who the contractors are who'll benefit from all this renovation. I wonder if bids will be let or if it will be done under the "good old boy" program.
#4
ROAD NAZI
on
05/23/11 at 12:29 PM
[Reply]
Why not use the money to make the road more traffic friendly. Like Horton Rd, why is this not a one way road. Things like that.
#5
Please give it a thought
on
05/23/11 at 06:44 PM
[Reply]
I know that I am going to be called all kinds of names, told how stupid I am, and told to leave the county if I don’t like it. I have been in Barrow Co for 10 years and I see things different than maybe a long time citizen does. When a company comes looking to locate in Barrow Co and they drive down the center of the town they see an old run down hub of Barrow Co. Keeping these old buildings, and showing we are still living in the old days, DOES NOT help bring new business here. It does not show we are young and vibrant and willing to do what it takes to get their business to move here. New modern buildings and having a bypass would go a long way to bring new business here. Let’s face the fact that what we have been doing over the last 15 to 25 years has not brought a lot of new business to Barrow Co. We clearly need to think a different way. The Court House is like lots of other things … it has had a long life, but it is time for it to go. Everything in life reaches a point where it just is not worth the money or time to keep it up. For the people who have maybe visited to low country of SC and know how they have taken small lots and made the best out of them … I was thinking maybe it will work here in Barrow Co. There is one place in Beaufort SC that took a lot and built a new building on it. It is a three story building that on the first floor is all businesses, on the second story is restaurants and on the top floor there are condos. Why wouldn’t this type of structure work here in Barrow Co.? Wouldn’t the Court House location be great for this type of multiple usages? It would be new, clean, nice and a center point for Winder. I believe there are many things that the Court House property could be used for. Please don’t close your minds to a modern, clean and efficient Barrow Co. Ok, let the name calling begin. I too am a tax payer and I want to see my money spent more efficient.
#5.1
thought
on
05/23/11 at 07:30 PM
[Reply]
What the are you thinking outside the lines. Please dont do that anymore. By god it has been this way forever and we will not change or listen to reason. Cant you see what we have done it like this forever and it is working so well, we are getting a movie theatre for petes sake. Honestly I agree with you whole heartedly, time to let it go... and move on, the estimated costs are just that estimated and its Barrow nothing ever costs what they say, hey look at the budget 1 million in the red "estimated" is now 5 million. just saying
#6
Tommy
on
05/23/11 at 08:00 PM
[Reply]
I agree 100% … it is time for change and a different thinking in this county. There has to be brighter people out there that have ideas like the above person as to how to improve the appearance of Winder and Barrow Co. Atlanta took the old steel plant and made a fabulous area for work, eating and living. That is thinking out of the box. Not all counties are having trouble drawing new business attention. We need to study these cities and counties to see how they did it. I am going to sum all this up … Winder and Barrow Co needs a sparkling new center piece to make everyone smile and show our pride. The old court house location would be the greatest location in this county. The old court house is not getting this done folks. I think the above mentioned way of using a NEW three story building on this location is fabulous.