There will be more parking downtown, after two meetings recently set the stage for the destruction of the old jail, and jailer's residence, behind the courthouse.

The members of the fiscal court approved "giving" the property to the Russell County Property Development Board, which is overseeing construction of the new judicial center.

"It will still be county property," Judge Executive Mickey Garner told the court at the meeting Aug., 28. "But they will pay to have the buildings torn down and the lot paved."

At the Tuesday meeting of the development board members were unanimous in approving acceptance of the new property, which they were told will add about 50 spaces to the 101 already expected.

Circuit Clerk Tony Kerr, a member of the board, said he felt that having that space would take pressure off the new spaces for the judicial center. With these sites available those needing to address county business or other non-court business, would not be as likely to have to park in the new center's lots.

At the Tuesday meeting the board also approved re-bidding the roof on the new building, with a standing-seam metal roof rather than the shingle roof that had been bid.

The board also okay'd proceeding with an October target for selling the bonds to fund construction of the project.

At the previous Friday's fiscal court meeting the magistrates approved a 50-50 split with the city of Jamestown for paving the road beside the ambulance-dispatch center.

The move was needed, Garner said, because of the mess caused by construction on the new Conservation District Office behind the building.