In June 26 - July 2 issue
By Greg Wells
Times Journal Managing Editor



ABOVE: A left, Jamestown Mayor Brooks Bates and city Public Works Director Ottis Skaggs discuss the layout of the city’s future offices, while Police Chief Mike Keeton observes workmen removing tiles from the floor of the Monin Pharmacy building which the city has purchased to replace the newer City Hall building, which will be replaced by the new Judicial Center. The city hopes to be in the new offices by the first of October.

JAMESTOWN - It is the classic good-news bad-news situation in Jamestown. The state approved the phase 1 drawings for the new judicial building, as well as the purchase of the property.

The city is now facing a ticking clock to get moving into their new home in the old Monin Building, also known as the Jamestown Clinic.

Circuit Clerk Tony Kerr said the committee reviewing the plans for the Administrative Office of the Court was satisfied with the board's proposed building and the land chosen for it at Monday's meeting in Frankfort.

"We've got the green light," Kerr said.

County Judge-Executive Mickey Garner said the board would proceed immediately with purchasing the property they already had options on and would advertise for bids to tear down all of the buildings at the next meeting, in July.

One of those buildings is Jamestown City Hall.

"It'll take us about 3 months," answered Ottis Skaggs when asked how long it will take to be ready to move into the new city hall.

He said they started work in there this week.

City Clerk Kim Weston said they have had the rough plans reviewed by engineers, and are proceeding with them.

The new plans have a counter up front for paying water bills and receiving citizens.

The city council chambers will be right behind that and the rest of the upper floor will be devoted to office space for the administration and engineering / public works departments. The police department will be located downstairs.

This will entail relocating doors, moving some walls, replacing flooring and lowering some ceiling. Also there will be computer and telephone networking as well as plumbing and basic electrical work needed to make the city's new home habitable.

As to the time-frame, one of the board members for the new judicial center, Kevin Shearer, said he understood that the board was willing to offer the city 90 days or so to vacate their present home, before demolition begins.

He said he understood that whichever contractor won the bid to raze all the buildings would be able to start the work on the north end of the property and work towards the square, where the city's offices are at present.

The other good news was that the property owners will be paid for the land in the next one to two weeks, Kerr said.