Although it was not unanimous, Santa Rosa County Commissioner Rob Williamson received a majority of the City of Milton’s Executive Committee vote in order to push his proposal forward for Pine Street in downtown Milton to be the new county courthouse location. He would like to begin construction December 31, 2016.
During Monday’s Milton City Council meeting, Williamson addressed the council, seeking their support behind his proposal to bring a new judiciary facility to downtown Milton, located on the corner of Pine Street and Elmira Street.
“There is a reason why we have been talking about this for the past 20 years and I want to be respectful of the process,” Williamson said. “That is why I came here tonight to show respect to Milton’s leadership and to let them know that their leadership and their support is going to be vitally important if we are going to be successful.”
Since being unveiled last week, the Pine Street location has since received support from Milton’s city staff and the HOK, the design firm responsible for designing the new judiciary facility for the county.
While a motion to support bringing a new courthouse to downtown Milton with a particular location on Pine Street did receive support from a majority of the council, it was not unanimous. Council Member Marilyn Jones was not represent at the meeting. Fellow Council Member Jimmy Messick abstained from voting due to his wife, Theresa Messick owns a parcel on Pine Street the city is currently seeking to acquire for the courthouse location. Council Member Ashley Lay was the lone nay vote against the motion.
Lay initially motioned to support any location in downtown, not just the Pine Street location. However, the motion was amended by the council to specify Williamson’s proposed site.
“I am not opposed to that location, but in trying to protect downtown Milton in general. If that (location) does not work, we don’t want to be nailed down to that specific site,” Lay said. “I do feel like there are more questions out there. Is there one thing that will make it not work?”
Williamson addressed questions and concerns some of which was asked by the council. These concerns pertained to whether there is enough property needed to facilitate a judicial complex with parking space and retention ponds. Also, would the new location be safe from flooding and if construction on a new facility would negatively impact current courthouse operations.
Williamson addressed each concern for his new site saying the proposal will not be prone to flooding, it will provide for adequate space and the construction of a new facility would not impact current operations in anyway.
In addition to stressing these answers to the council, Williamson said this location would not only benefit the city but the county at large. Williamson also stressed the urgency of putting the issue to rest.
“History has taught us for Santa RosaCounty to move forward, this project, more than any other, must be put behind us,” Williamson said.
While researching the courthouse issue, Williamson said he came across a study regarding a new courthouse location which was completed in 1995.
During the meeting, Lay asked Williamson if he was committed for downtown being the right place for a new courthouse. Williamson responded stating he was in support of the best location for the county, the Pine Street location being just that in his opinion.
With the new proposal, Council Member Lloyd Hinote suggested the council should take action.
“The Pine Street location brings new life into this project,” Hinote said. “If we already voted on a downtown location; I don’t see the need to vote again, but see a need to specify a location being Pine Street in order to keep this action alive.”
Council Member Mary Ellen Johnson agreed.
“I think Pine Street is a very viable option,” Johnson said. “I do think in order for us to move forward we do need to narrow it down to a particular site in the city.”
With a motion not being unanimous, the item will be voted upon by the council as a separate item from the consent agenda in next week’s regular council meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
Williamson said his proposal will be brought before his fellow commissioners at next week’s board meeting.
“I would like to take it in the proper steps, which would be ‘let’s decide on the location first’,” Williamson said. “Then let’s go to step two and let’s starting talking about the design and ultimately the cost to deliver that design and after that then we are going find out how we are going to pay for it.”
Williamson even set a goal of when to get started on building a new judicial facility.
“I want to begin construction on the new judicial center for Santa RosaCounty by December 31, 2016 and we could do that,” Williamson said. “If, for example, the local option sales tax were to be approved this time then we would definitely have the ability to go ahead knowing the funding would be in place and we could move forward.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Pine Street wins support for courthouse