HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 04-02-24; 12-5 - Information Item - Memorandum - Justice System Space Needs Work Group ORANGE COUNTY
NORTH TH C OLI
COUNTY MANAGERS OFFICE
300 West Tryon Street Bonnie B. Hammersley,County Manager Phone(919) 245-2300
Post Office Box 8181 Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Fax(919)644-3004
Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278
TO: Board of Orange County Commissioners
FROM: Travis Myren
Deputy County Manager
RE: Justice System Space Needs Work Group
On February 20, the Chair and Vice Chair met with Justice System Stakeholders to discuss the County
Facilities Plan as it relates to the Courthouse, District Attorney's Office, Public Defender's Office, and the
Sheriff's Office.
The County Facilities Plan focused on growth projections and the corresponding amount of space that
may be needed to accommodate that growth in the future. It did not comprehensively assess the
functional adequacy of the existing facilities. With respect to the Courthouse and Sheriff's Office, for
example, the Plan recommended an increase in square footage needed but only mentioned space
deficiencies that might be addressed with future construction and renovations.
In response to the space needs,the Facility Plan recommended the construction of a new Sheriff's Office
at the County Motor pool site with an estimated construction cost of $22.6 million. The relocation of
the Sheriff's Office would free up space in the courthouse and trigger seven additional space
improvements including courtroom renovations and new construction throughout the course of the
fifteen-year Plan.
These recommendations renovate or add to existing facilities. However,the justice system stakeholders
asked County leadership to work together to take a more comprehensive view of system operations that
would more seamlessly integrate facilities assigned to stakeholders. In response to this request, staff
suggested creating a Justice System Needs Workgroup with the appropriate County staff and
stakeholders. The workgroup will review existing facility needs and analyze options to address those
needs that may include a more comprehensive view of justice system facilities. The group is currently
being organized by Asset Management Services.
Since the Workgroup may recommend a different set of projects than the projects included in the initial
Facilities Plan, the Recommended Capital Improvement Plan combines the projects proposed in the
Facility Plan related to the criminal justice system into a single new project,Justice System Space Needs.
This aggregation totals $15,479,233.
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