Dear Editor,
The choices for the judicial center on the 2014 ballot were downtown Milton, East Milton, and Pea Ridge. Downtown Milton received 17,466 yes votes, East Milton received 13,495 yes votes, and Pea Ridge received 10,780 yes votes. At first glance, it would appear that the downtown location was the winner. However, when you combine the yes votes for the other two locations, it shows that more people voted against locating the 50 million dollar project downtown.
Those that voted yes on the downtown location were casting votes on a location subject to unknown negotiations on parcel purchases. Negotiations on all the pieces of the puzzle for the original downtown Milton location just didn’t work out; wasted time and wasted money on consultants.
Some have asked why the existing courthouse cannot be demolished and a new one built in its place. The fact is, it would be extremely cost prohibitive. Just demolishing the two wings of the courthouse would cost 1 million dollars. The entire staff, courtrooms, clerk of courts, etc., would need to be relocated.
Now the Board of Commissioners are discussing another downtown Milton multi-parcel location only 15 yards from the railroad tracks and close to the sewer treatment facility. This location has flooding issues.
Santa Rosa County is in need of a new courthouse. It is time to look at the true facts and start using some common sense.
Wallis Mahute
Milton
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Location of courthouse needs another look