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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. LO— <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: March 5, 1997 <br /> SUBJECT: Proposed Lease of 112 North Churton Street <br /> DEPARTMENT: PURCHASING AND Public Hearing: No <br /> CENTRAL SERVICES Budget Amendment Reqd? Yes <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> PAM JONES, ext. 2650 <br /> Telephone Number- <br /> Hillsborough 732-8181 <br /> Chapel Hill 967-9251 <br /> Mebane 227-2031 <br /> Durham 688-7331 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider leasing a building at 112 N. Churton Street (previously <br /> Hillsborough Savings Bank) to be used as expansion space for offices of the Courts. <br /> BACKGROUND: Findings of the Judicial Facilities Study Group were published in 1995 <br /> and reflected a significant space deficit in most court related offices, including the Clerk <br /> of Court and the District Attorney. The Study indicated that currently the Clerk has <br /> approximately 3,466 square feet of space and has program requirements of 4,665, a <br /> deficit of around 1,200 square feet. The District Attorney is assigned approximately <br /> 1,793 square feet and programatically requires approximately 2,580, an approximately <br /> 787 square feet deficit. The Clerk has recently cooperated in the reallocation of one <br /> office on the first floor level which was reassigned to the District Attorney in order to <br /> accommodate a new attorney coming into his office effective January 1, 1997. <br /> According to information presented by the Chief District Court Judge, both the District <br /> Attorney and the Clerk of Court are likely to receive additional personnel by the end of <br /> the year, further exacerbating the over-crowded conditions. <br /> Since it is unlikely that the construction recommended through the Report will be carried <br /> out in the immediate future, a potential intermediate term solution is being suggested. <br /> Discussions regarding the overcrowded conditions and the adverse impact on daily <br /> operations and the subsequent inability to serve the citizens have been on-going for the <br /> past six weeks. During this same time period, representatives of the Hillsborough <br /> Savings Bank contacted the County indicating that the North Churton Street facility had <br /> been closed and was available for lease. After reviewing Courthouse operations, it <br />