The Grays Harbor County Commissioners, and many elected officials and county employees gathered Tuesday morning to hear a presentation about a $56.6 million project that would remake the county public safety infrastructure in phases over the next 20 years.
The presentation by Superior Court Judge David Edwards represents the work of a group known as the third courtroom committee, formed in the wake of a lawsuit in which Superior Court judges sued the county over what they said were inadequate and unsafe conditions in the county’s court rooms. The settlement requires that another courtroom be added and discussions around that grew to include other changes.
The commissioners can decide which pieces of the recommendation to accept or reject (except for the third Superior Court courtroom, which must be built to fulfill the settlement). But Edwards said the projects included were not just wanted, they’re needed.
But they’re not without a hefty price tag, and the county already is facing financial woes.
“During every step of this process, our committee has been sensitive to the economic challenges that we all face,” Edwards said. “We know that what we’re proposing to you today is not something that’s going to happen next week or next year. This is a very expensive project.
“We’re not suggesting that each of these phases be approved by you right now. … We think all these things are needed, but sometimes you can’t afford what you need.”
Additionally, $56.6 million is a preliminary number.
“At this point, there hasn’t been any design work, and certainly as that process proceeds, the numbers will become more refined and certain,” Edwards said. “But regardless, it’s going to be an expensive project.”
Edwards and Commissioner Frank Gordon have been co-chairman of the committee. In addition to the third courtroom, the recommendations include a new jail, a juvenile detention center and courtroom, a District Court courtroom and administration offices.
A third Superior Court courtroom would be built into a new Juvenile Building. The state Legislature approved a third judge in 1993. Three judges currently share two courtrooms.
And while the third courtroom was the original purpose of the committee, ideas were brought forward by interested parties, each solving an issue (crowded jails, juvenile detention issues, courtroom problems) facing the county.
Summed up, the plans — drafted by KMB Design Groups Inc. of Olympia — would locate most of the county’s services to its campus in Montesano. It would construct a new juvenile facility and render the current facility at Junction City obsolete. A jury assembly and sheriff administration building would be built in the current courtyard between the courthouse and the county administration building. A new adult jail would be built, and the current facility would be remodeled for jail support services and for sheriff administration services.
Commissioner Vickie Raines asked if the proposal addressed the increased parking needs. Edwards said it did not and that would need to be addressed moving forward.
“There’s a lot of material here for us to digest and I think we should probably plan a special meeting, just a workshop meeting, where we can discuss this a little bit further and formulate questions we might have,” Raines said.
County Auditor Vern Spatz pointed out that the plans had a new facility going in where his elections shop currently stands. Commissioner Wes Cormier said it was “far too preliminary” to worry about current operations that would be affected, and Raines said the commissioners would ensure Spatz has a facility in the future.
“We’ll make sure that somewhere on the campus you have an elections office and department. It may not be where it’s currently located, but we’ll make sure that you have one,” Raines said.
The meeting was informational and no action was taken.
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