Supporters of keeping the Santa Rosa County courthouse in the county seat may be happy by a step taken Thursday by the county commissioners. Milton Mayor Guy Thompson spoke before the board presenting Resolution 13-14, requesting the downtown Milton location of the courthouse go on to the November ballot for the new judicial center. Thompson said, “We adopted a resolution unanimously expressing strong support for the sitting of the proposed judicial center serving SRC to be in the county seat, affirming the need for a new judicial center, and calling on the board of county commissioners to continue providing court services in the same general location as it has been historically for over 80 years.”
Thompson also thanked the taskforce he appointed, charged with determining the viability and potential costs of keeping the courthouse downtown. The group is headed by attorneys Brad Johnson and Matthew Hargraves.
Commissioner Bob Cole moved to add language placing the downtown Milton location and comprehensive cost citizens expect to pay for its construction on the November ballot. Commissioner Don Salter advised against approving anything until HOK finishes a study at the downtown location. Cole moved to place the downtown location on the ballot, which passed without objection.
Hargraves said, “I’m very excited. This is a great step forward.” He also said he’s looking forward to working with the design firm HOK to be involved with any questions they raise around the downtown location
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Downtown location on the ballot for courthouse