It appears that the Judicial Center’s Project Development Board (PDB) may be very close to choosing a site for a new Clinton County Justice Center, following actions taken at its regular meeting last Friday morning, May 20.

Although unconfirmed at press time Tuesday morning, the board’s actions last week appear they are considering the McWhorter/Ferguson Brothers site between Cross and Washington Streets as the site for the new $7.4 million facility.

At its meeting last week, Circuit Judge David L. Williams made a motion to request the Albany Mayor and City Council close off a street at the “possible location” of the Justice Center.

The city has given notice to the news media that a special call meeting of the city council will be held this coming Thursday, May 26, at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

The purpose of that meeting will be to consider a proposal and discussion on closing a portion of Clay Street, from Cross Street at McWhorter Variety Store to Washington Street, for the construction of the new Justice Center.

Williams then made a motion that the PDB also hold a special meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m., also at City Hall, following the council’s action and possibly taking action, pending the council’s decision.

Also on a motion by Williams, which passed unopposed, the board voted to amend the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the project, which is being funded by the state through the AOC (Administrative Office of the Courts).

In probable relation, the Clinton County Fiscal Court has also called a special meeting for 3 p.m. this Thursday in the judge/executive’s conference room.

The only item of business listed on that call meeting agenda was simply “MOU” (Memorandum of Understanding).

When the proposed Justice Center project for Clinton County began a couple of years ago, several site locations were proposed by property owners who were willing to sell property for the project.

Eventually the field was narrowed down to three or four sites, with the McWhorter/Ferguson site actually being removed at one point.

Earlier this year, the site was reinstated and appraised and another site, at the Foothills Welcome Center, was withdrawn, leaving three possible locations to consider just several weeks ago.

Should the city opt to close the proposed portion of Clay Street as requested, it would require a second reading of the council to become official.

All of the three aforementioned special meetings will be open to the public and details on those meetings will be published in next weeks Clinton County News.

The one and one-half block area that includes the current McWhorter Variety location, as well as the locations that formerly housed Ferguson Brothers Hardware and McWhorter Implement north of the Clinton County Courthouse square, will be the likely site of the new Clinton County Justice Center.