Coweta County commissioners last week approved $5,355 for the purchase of sound equipment for the courtroom and second floor of the historic courthouse in downtown Newnan.

The bid by Full Compass Systems of Madison, Wisconsin was the lowest of the three bids received and the four bids requested. The county has previous experience with Full Compass Systems.
In their approval of the bid commissioners agreed that county staff will provide the installation of the equipment where feasible. Full Compass is expected to mount speakers, boxes and install conduits as needed.

The rehabilitation of the 1904 courthouse comes by way of a $7.5 million Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax-funded (SPLOST) project was slated to take 12-18 months and is expected to be completed this summer.

The first floor of the building will house the Convention and Visitors Bureau and Coweta County Probate Court.

The large courtroom on the second floor will be used for Probate Court proceedings and might be used for other selected occasions, said county spokesperson Patricia Palmer.

Simply put, the courtroom is a work of art. Similar to what appears on the first and second floors to be intricate cornice and molding is actually plaster from chair level to the ceiling.

Seating in the courtroom will feature the same type chairs in use just after the turn of the 20th century. The chairs will be theater-style with metal frames and wooden seats and backs. The balcony, which along with large storage rooms and a new catering kitchen is part of the third floor, will be outfitted with a variety of 8-foot to 26-foot benches like those from 100 years ago.

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