Speaking at the Popcorn and Politics Forum last week, Commissioner Robert Jones delivered an update on the Courthouse Project. The county signed a contract for the construction work on the Courthouse approximately four weeks ago, Jones said. The bid, he explained, came in $2 million cheaper that he had initially thought.

“We were figuring somewhere between 12 and 14 million,”

he said, adding,

“The bid came in at $9.8 million with a contingency fund.”

According to Jones, in addition to the work on the building, the project includes paving around the Courthouse, clean-up of surrounding roads and a parking lot which will accommodate 130 to 140 cars. When all is said and done, the total cost will be approximately $11 million.

The project is expected to be complete in 12 months.

“This time next year,”

Jones said,

”we should be looking at a whole new courthouse.”