The new Clinton County Justice Center, barring any unforeseen circumstances following geological site testing or other issues, will, in fact, be located on the McWhorter/Ferguson property.

The Judicial Center’s Project Development Board (PDB) unanimously selected that one and-a-half block site at a special meeting last Thursday, May 26.

The site location, also known as Site #2, was voted on at the PDB meeting after both the Clinton Fiscal Court and Albany City Council had held previous meetings the same day to take actions relating to the site location.

The area will contain the former McWhorter Implement building, Ferguson Brothers Hardware Store and current McWhorter Variety Store locations, as well as a consignment shop housed in the lower portion of the building facing Washington Street.

The total scope of the project is in the neighborhood of $17.5 million after some additional funding from the state’s Judicial Branch was added.

The McWhorter/Ferguson site was one of several locations that were originally offered to the board to be appraised for a possible location.

The field was eventually narrowed down to three after the aforementioned site had been removed from the list. However, it was reinstated as a possible site and appraised. Also, one of the previous three locations withdrew from consideration, that being the Foothills Festival Welcome Center block.

At last Thursday night’s meeting, Board Chairman Ricky Craig gave a brief overview, including the fact the Albany City Council had just voted earlier in the evening to close off a street necessary for the construction at the site to take place.

Board member David Williams then made the motion to accept Site #2, the McWhorter/Ferguson property, as the site to construct the Justice Center. The motion passed by unanimous vote.

The board briefly discussed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) the fiscal court has passed that added usage funds of over $100,000 from the state on the project, as well as the closing of a portion of a street adjacent to the site location.

Clinton County Attorney Michael Rains also told the board that he and others were reviewing and working on contracts in relation to the project, as some of the property owners have separate attorneys.

Rains said the contracts could be complete as early as the end of this week.

Karen Ferguson O’Neill, who owns a consignment store that sells clothing and other items in the basement of the Ferguson Building then addressed the board with a concern about the “timing” of when stores that are still open at the site location will have to move or relocate.

O’Neill began by saying the site chosen was the best and within walking distance of the courthouse, but then asked the board “Have you liquidated a business before?” Basically inquiring if she would have time to relocate prior to any demolition beginning.

She also gave each board member some written documentation, part of which apparently questioned the appraised value of the property.

At one point, Williams asked, “What is (your) point?” in which she replied she was asking for time to get things out of her business.

Williams said the only thing the PDB is charged with is selecting the architect, construction manager, and those types of aspects of the project.

Representative of the AOC Administrative Office of the Courts) Judicial Branch was also on hand at the meeting and said the project would be done in four stages, the first which was done last week by choosing a site.

The remaining phases would include architectural work and design on the facility itself, the design of the building’s interior, then physically drawing up the design for approval.

After the final stage, the construction manager would then advertise for bids on the project.

Craig said it was “going to be a process” and a long time before demolition.

AOC representatives also estimated it would be well “after the first of (next) year before a bulldozer would be on the property, possible as late as the spring of 2023.

It was also noted during the discussion that there are still seven months left in this year to give businesses still open time to phase out or relocate.

Matters such as keeping insurance on stores and merchandise prior to the deed to the properties actually changing hands was discussed.

Also during the discussion, the board requested County Attorney Rains investigate the process of allowing a business to stay open for a reasonable amount of time through the architectural and design process.

On the issue of O’Neill saying she wished to move her business, board member Jesse Stockton said, “unfortunately, there is a lot of empty buildings in town.”

Board Vice-Chairman Jake Staton told O’Neill it was hard to put a time on the overall process. Further he said the board was legally allowed only to give the amount up to what the property had been appraised for.

Williams added there had been another location with no demolition costs, but added the board members overall chose the best site.

He also added he had never been in another organization better than the PDB board, saying that they “keep their word.” Williams also thanked O’Neill for running a local business here.

Staton also mentioned the McWhorter Implement and Ferguson Brothers businesses for their many years of service to the community in Albany and Clinton County, saying “We were fortunate to have had them here.”

O’Neill also thanked the board for allowing her to address her concerns.

The approximate half-hour meeting was then adjourned.

The Project Development Board’s next regular meeting will be held on Friday, June 17, at 8 a.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse and is open to the public.