Friday, September 17, 1999
Clock might soon be striking midnight for the courthouse

By JOHN THOMPSON
Coweta Editor

The days may be numbered for Coweta County's historic courthourse, used as the county's judicial center.

That stunning revelation during Tuesday's Coweta County Commission meeting as the commissioners were denouncing a report by the Grand Jury that called the courthouse “filthy.”

“We don't have a pig sty. I haven't seen this filth,” said Commissioner Vernon “Mutt” Hunter.

The only problems with the courthouse are that it is antiquated and not adequate for the county's increasing judicial needs, Hunter said. He suggested the courthouse could be used as a visitors' center, if the courtrooms and offices were moved to another facility.

Chairman Lawrence Nelms said the county has been looking at alternatives, but dismissed rumors the county might move court facilities to the Shanandoah Industrial Park off Ga. Highway 34.

“We're looking at something within a couple of blocks of the present courthouse,” Nelms said.

A possible solution would be to move the facilities to the current county administration building in Newnan or build another facility. The county's staff is currently researching funding mechanisms and one possible solution could be a special purpose local option sales tax next year.

No figures have been released yet on what a new facility would cost, but Nelms said the commissioners have been studying the issue for four months.

In addressing the Grand Jury's report on the inadequacies of the current courthouse, Nelms said the county has poured money into the courthouse for renovations during the last decade, but it's still basically an old building.

“You can't make a silk dress out of a sow's ear,” Hunter said.

Hunter also added that some of the problem with the alleged filth in the courtroom is that some of the courtroom employees won't let the county employees into certain areas to clean.

The commissioner also said that many times Grand Jury reports are tied to how the members feel about the county commissioners and not the actual conditions of the facilities.

“If you don't like me, don't criticize the courthouse,” said Hunter as the clock on the courthouse struck 3 p.m., providing a fitting background.


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