The Barren County Courthouse, erected in its current form in 1965, sets in the midst of Glasgow’s bustling downtown square. The facility is owned by the Barren County Fiscal Court.
(WCLU NEWS FILE PHOTO)
BY BRENNAN D. CRAIN, WCLU News
GLASGOW — Officials this week voted to continue negotiations for a piece of property that will eventually house a new courthouse in Barren County.
The Barren Fiscal Court moved earlier this month to secure the property officials earlier identified as “Site E.” The site’s location remains unknown because meetings where it is discussed continue to be behind closed doors.
The Barren Fiscal Court will make an eventual purchase of the land recommended by the PDB. The Administrative Office of the Courts will then lease the building and land from the county government during its use.
A project development board overseeing the construction of the new judicial center discussed the matter Wednesday in a closed session. They returned and made a motion to continue negotiations with an eye toward purchasing some or all of Site E.
A property along West Main Street, including a Dollar General store and city-owned land, appears to be the prospective location of the courthouse, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Members of the PDB said meetings would likely be held in an open format once the property is purchased and revealed. State law permits certain discussions of public agencies to be held behind closed doors. In this case, the prospective property’s value could be impacted if the discussions were held in an open session, PDB members said.
The $32 million project was earmarked specifically in the state government’s budget during an earlier session for the courthouse’s construction. The current Barren County Courthouse will remain intact, and officials predict some county offices will relocate to the building once the local judicial center transitions to the new building.
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