Note: This story contained an error in a previous version. The Barren County Fiscal Court has not purchased the West Main Street property as originally published. WCLU News regrets this error.
GLASGOW, Ky. – The Barren County Judicial Center Project Development Board met for the first time to delegate positions and begin talks about a new judicial center for Barren County.
The PDB consists of representatives from the Administrative Office of the Courts and local officials such as Judges John T. Alexander, Gabriel Pendleton, Michael Hale, and Circuit Clerk Krissie Fields and Barren County Fiscal Court secretary Sherry Jones.
The project is expected to take 3 ½ years to complete once it begins, according to Project Manager Ronnie McCall. That places the project’s completion in late 2023 or early 2024.
“We’ve had some project go smooth, and we’ve had a few where we’ve had a few variables that kind of showed up and held the project up,” McCall said. “Hopefully this one will go smooth.”
Architectural and financial advising firm bids are scheduled to be placed in the Courier Journal in the coming days. The PDB will advertise for those positions and will grade the bids before selecting each firm.
McCall said Dec. 18 is the tentative deadline to have those bids, and the board will assess and interview each firm before making a decision to hire them.
McCall told board members that a public hearing would be held after an architect is hired to select available land for the project.
The Glasgow City Council approved the sale of land for the project after the Administrative Office of the Courts notified Barren County that a new judicial center was approved to be built. The Barren County Fiscal Court has not purchased the land yet.
The land is approximately 2.2 acres along West Main Street.
It’s unclear if that land will be the final location for the project.
The board decided their meetings would be held on the last Wednesday of each month, and the next meeting will be Jan. 27 at 1 p.m.
The AOC is currently handling six judicial center projects in Scott, Jessamine, Barren, Butler, Clinton and Crittenden Counties.
To access the meeting, click here.
