Judicial Center On Tuesday's Agenda

BROOKSVILLE - County commissioners will consider a request Tuesday to authorize staff to negotiate an agreement with the DLR Group to prepare requests for proposals for locating, financing and constructing a new judicial facility in downtown Brooksville.

On July 1, the county administrator's office presented a capital plan that included a new 125,000-square-foot judicial complex at a projected cost of $49 million, which covered the cost of site acquisition, design, construction and outfitting.

To pay for it, County Administrator David Hamilton proposed a blend of traditional funds and bonds and suggested various methods of private-public alternatives.

According to the proposal, Hernando County would contribute $20 million to the project - "a significant contribution but would not deploy all of our resources and bonding capacity for a single project," according to Hamilton.

The judicial courthouse would be located in downtown Brooksville at a site still to be determined.

The county would enter into a lease-to-own agreement with the DLR architectural firm to pay a monthly or yearly payment over a period of time. Hamilton said the county's initial $20 million down payment would be matched by about the same amount by the private developer and paid back over several years.

In the end, the county would own the building.

A pre-determined date of occupancy would be set upfront with penalties to the developer for late completion.

The county needs a larger judicial center to accommodate the needs of a growing population, officials contend.

The DLR Group earlier recommended two sites for a judicial center: at the Hernando County Fairgrounds, south of Brookville on U.S. 41, or in the parking lot of the current government center at 20 North Main Street.

But it is not sure whether those two locations are still on the table.

County commissioners will consider the request at their business meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 North Main St. in downtown Brooksville.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.