Ribbon-cutting Thurs. for new Forsyth Co. Courthouse

CUMMING - A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Forsyth County Courthouse will be held Thursday at 10:00, followed by public tours of the new facility.

The new courthouse will officially open for business on Monday, March 16.

Construction of the new courthouse and of a new jail was funded by the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) VII program approved by Forsyth County voters in November 2011. Work continues on the jail, which is slated to open later this year.

"Without the voters approval of SPLOST VII, we would not have been able to construct the new courthouse and jail, which are absolutely critical components of Forsyth County s judicial and public safety infrastructure," Commission Chairman Pete Amos said.  A sincere thank you is extended to the residents of Forsyth County for recognizing the need for these new facilities and for approving for them to be funded by the SPLOST penny sales tax."

A few weeks ago the county began soliciting items from the public for inclusion in a time capsult for the new courthouse.

"The contents of the time capsule will be on display at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 12 so that guests will have an opportunity to see what will be included in it," county spokeswoman Jodi Gardner said. "Plans are for the time capsule to be sealed and placed in the cornerstone at a later date."

ABOUT THE NEW COURTHOUSE

It totals about 158,000 total square feet. The building includes five floors plus a basement and will house Superior Court, State Court, Solicitor-General, District Attorney, Clerk of Courts, Court Administration, Grand Jury, Jury Assembly, Pre-Trial Services, Accountability Courts and Indigent Defense. About 30,000 square feet will remain unfinished at this time, allowing for future expansion.

The courthouse has historically been the center of the community, located in the town square, Chief Superior Court Judge Jeffrey S. Bagley said.  The decision to place our courthouse once again in the center of the county seat symbolizes the importance our community places upon the business we will conduct in the new courthouse; proceedings that will affect the lives, property and honor of our citizens for years to come.

Once the new courthouse opens, renovations to the existing courthouse are slated to begin. It will be called the Forsyth County Courthouse Annex and, once renovated, will house the Sheriff s Office headquarters and Probate Court, eliminating the need for rental properties currently in use. Renovations are expected to be completed later this year.

ABOUT THE NEW JAIL

The l will be approximately 177,000 square feet and will include three inmate levels plus a support level. At start-up it will include 356 beds, with a total inmate capacity of 608 and, like the courthouse, it was designed so that it can be expanded as needed.

A pedestrian bridge will connect the jail with the new courthouse.

Once the new jail is completed, the current jail will be demolished to make way for surface parking.