Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> 3. There should be a jury deliberation room with toilet facilities; <br /> 4. A Judges office with toilet facilities and private entrance should be included; <br /> 5. A holding cell and separate entrance for inmates should be included; <br /> 6. There should be conference rooms (at least two) available for the attorneys and their <br /> clients. (Note: These are small conference rooms, accommodating 4-6 people.) <br /> The Judge further indicated a need to accommodate a jury assembly room and a law library. The lack <br /> of a jury assembly area was cited as a critical problem during the first meeting of the Justice Facility Study <br /> Group as well. <br /> These requirements were addressed by including items 1-5 in the new addition and placing the conference <br /> rooms in areas vacated by the District Court following their move to the upper floor of the Courthouse. The <br /> District Court had indicated a willingness to allow reallocation of their present Courtroom for Jury Assembly <br /> in the event they were allowed to use the large courtroom. They did request that the room not be set up <br /> in a manner to preclude other types of hearings which might occasionally need to be heard there. The <br /> small anteroom to the side of the existing District Courtroom was to become the Superior Court law library. <br /> After comparisons to existing Courtrooms, it was determined that seating capacity for 125 persons would <br /> likely be inadequate. The Judge has requested seating for no fewer than 200 persons. In addition, he <br /> indicates that the conference rooms should be in immediate proximity to the courtrooms. The estimate <br /> from the Architect to accomplish this additional work is $120,000 over the current budget of$311,000. <br /> If the Board chooses to address the Superior Court needs through the expanded scope of work defined <br /> above, the additional funding would be addressed during the development of the 1995-2000 Capital <br /> Improvements Plan. The project's projected completion date is Spring, 1996. <br /> RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends that the Board approve the change in the scope of <br /> work for the New Courthouse project and during the development of the 1995-2000 Capital Improvements <br /> Plan, amend the plan to include an additional $120,000 for the purpose of constructing a courtroom to <br /> accommodate the Orange County Superior Court. <br />