County Tax Base Too Low for New Courthouse         

A hearing was held Monday afternoon in Charlotte Court House to begin the process of determining the upgrades that, according to Circuit Court Judge Joel Cunningham and others, need to be performed on the historic county courthouse facility in order for it to remain viable. In 2012, Judge Joel Cunningham filed a show cause against the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors, and in that manner, all of Charlotte County, for failing to perform work that would “….cause the court facilities  to be made secure, or put in good repair, or rendered otherwise safe.” Simply put, this boils down to a matter of either making large scale upgrades and additions to the existing courthouse, which was designed by Thomas Jefferson, and the surrounding facilities, or building a new courthouse.

According to a proposal by Judge Cunningham, the best option would be a new courthouse and jail complex. The proposed facility would house three courtrooms, and new offices for staff. This proposal would cost the citizens of Charlotte County over twelve million dollars to build; an astronomical figure, according to County officials, which, agreeing with a comment by Judge Doherty, the county just does not have to spend on a facility that is, in reality, not needed.

The Board of Supervisors, in an effort to comply, hired an outside firm to develop a variety of ideas to present for approval. “We have spent $150,000 on this already. We have eighteen different plans. I don’t know why they are saying we aren’t doing anything,”  County Administrator R.B. Clark told the Southside Messenger Monday.

Retired Circuit Judge Robert P. Doherty Jr. has been appointed to preside over the case. On Monday he ruled that the County is to appoint a five person panel to develop a specific scope of work for the project. The panel is to consist of at least three architects and two other appointments deemed appropriate by the Board of Supervisors. The time limit for panel appointments is thirty days. The plan of work to be done is due ninety days from then.

A large part of the hearing yesterday was spent allowing Judge Doherty the opportunity to tour the courthouse and the rest of the preserved period buildings that make up Charlotte County Courthouse Square, as well as the offsite Juvenile and Domestic Court facilities. He made the tour with the attorneys for both sides, as well as the County Administrator and members of the Board of Supervisors in order to familiarize himself with the area. “When you guys are talking to me about certain things or specific areas, I want to know what and where you are talking about,” he explained to the group. He walked the entire square, going into most of the old buildings and taking a good look around. When he was confronted with the undesirable option of tearing down in order to satisfy the complaint, he very plainly stated that, ‘We don’t want to tear anything down, we just want to bring it up to date.” This came after earlier discussions inside the courtroom, during which he seemed to recognize the dilemma Charlotte County was in. “I drove through here on the way in, and you all don’t have the tax base to pay for this.”

A citizen’s group has requested to be a party to the proceedings surrounding the changes. The attorneys for the Plaintiffs agreed to their involvement. Attorneys for the Defense, however, did not. The County is planning a Public presentation on the proposed plans in the near future.