The Hernando Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) recently created a committee to look into the county’s office space needs. This committee has recommended a New Criminal Court Complex, Offices for Supervisor of Elections, Property Appraiser and Tax Collector. The total cost for all projects is estimated to be $30,000,000.
The Hernando County Space Needs Committee, after its January 26, 2016 meeting, made the recommendations for a new Criminal Court Complex and an adjoining parking garage be constructed on the property east of the existing Courthouse and Annex. Additionally, the committee recommends new offices for the Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector and Property Appraiser at a new facility near the Brooksville – Tampa Bay Regional Airport. The Space Needs Committee includes Chief Deputy Tina Faulkingham, Assistant State Attorney / Supervisor Conrad Juergensmeyer, Assistant Public Defender Alan Fanter, Guardian Ad Litem Manager Douglas Feldkamp, Court Operations Manager Peggy Welch, Director of Administrative Services Jenine Wimer, Assistant County Administrator of General Services Russell Wetherington, Senior Project Manager of Facilities Dawn Davis, Assistant County Administrator of Planning Ronald Pianta, Operations Assistant Mary Elwin, Human Resources / Risk Director Christi Charlow, and Executive Assistant Tina Duenninger.
A study and ten year projection by the CGL Companies conducted in December 2014 shows the number of judges and staff have more than tripled from 2000-2015, and is expected to increase by more than 100% in the next ten years. CGL is a company that provides public infrastructure and facilities solutions. Their website explains, “We are not contractors; we’re partners and advocates for our clients.” They also offer financial services such as public-private partnerships.
A Tampa Bay Times survey conducted over 3 weeks in 2011, showed that courtrooms were empty almost 60% of the time. Surveys were conducted at 10am and 2pm. Some commissioners at the time described the survey as eye-opening, but it was criticized by proponents of new courtroom space including Judge Daniel B. Merritt who has expressed desire for 1 courtroom per judge.
According to Judge Daniel B. Merritt, “The local facilities lag far behind compared to those of the other counties in the Fifth Judicial Circuit.”
Many departments report not being able to hire additional staff due to space constraints, and building makeshift workspaces. The State Attorney’s office reported that their offices have “exceeded maximum capacity with no place to expand or add additional employees. Hallways are used for files. Copy rooms and the former library space is being used for offices…”
According to Michael Graves, Public Defender, “As office population has multiplied, workspace has been created by making offices from hallways, storage spaces and even closets. Some attorney offices do not meet the minimum criteria as stated in Florida Statute 29.008.” Where the facilities fail to meet the statute was not provided. Graves goes on to state, “Over the last 20 years the Hernando Office has seen the largest growth in the Fifth Circuit. Substantial additional space is needed to meet our immediate need and continuing growth.”
Douglas Feldkamp, Child Advocacy Manager (who also provides support for Criminal Justice) reports, “We have the potential to have 50+ volunteers who will be coming into use our facility, although not at the same time. Our office is equipped with direct audio/visual link [sic] into the Courtroom for cases where children are asked to appear and for various reason, are too scared or anxious to appear in Court. Also, there is a potential to add two to three staff personnel.”
The above departments, and the Sheriff’s department needs are completely dependent on the space needs of the Judicial department. Furthermore, according to Clerk of Court Don Barbee, “It is imperative to efficient court operations, that the judiciary, Clerk, SAO (State Attorney) and PD (Public Defender) remain under one roof.”
To ease the space constraints and accessibility problems of the Westside Center, the Tax Collector, Property Appraiser and Supervisor of Elections have requested a new facility near the Brooksville – Tampa Bay Regional Airport Industrial Park. This more centralized location will solve the problems of a noisy testing environment (for the written portion of the driver’s exam) for the Tax Collector’s Office, climate-controlled storage needs (for vote-by-mail ballots and voting equipment) for the Supervisor of Elections and provide better handicapped access for patrons of these offices.
The SunTrust bank building was considered in the first two Space Needs Committee meetings, but is not considered a viable option because the for several reasons. These reasons include the Tax Collector requiresing a safe driving course for driver testing. Additionally, they desire the State Attorney’s office, Public Defender’s office and Guardian Ad Litem offices to must remain under the same roof as the criminal courts.
Due to the previously described space constraints, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is also having difficulty with space. Over the last twenty-five years, the BOCC offices have been shifted to provide more room for Judicial offices, and have not been afforded any additional office space. Stated in the recommendation, “The bottom line is we are out of space. The ‘Government Shuffle’ that has been ongoing for the past 25 years will no longer work. Because of the lack of space, we are not able to keep up with the growing needs of Hernando County.”
RECOMMENDATION – Part I:
The new 200,000 square foot criminal complex will be built to the east of the existing Government center with the following designations:
Criminal Court – 64,000 square feet
Clerk of Court – 12,000 square feet
Public Defender – 9,000 square feet
State Attorney – 12,000 square feet
Guardian Ad Litem – 3,000 square feet
Sally Port and Holding Cells – 15,000 square feet
Judicial and Administrative Parking – 35,000 square feet
Top floor shell for future expansion – 50,000 square feet
Creating a new criminal court complex solves many issues with the Sally Port, holding cells, number of required courtrooms and outgrown space for the Public Defender, State Attorney and Guardian Ad Litem offices. This benefits the BOCC by freeing approximately 12,500 square feet of the original Courthouse/Annex building that could be used for functions and public gatherings.
Solving the issue of “a long walk up the hill to the government complex” is cited as a reason for building a 550 space parking garage as well as easing general parking hassles. The garage is to include a facilities office, loading dock and delivery area.
RECOMMENDATION – Part II, Simultaneously:
With the majority of the population of Hernando County located in Spring Hill, the Tax Collector, Property Appraiser and Supervisor of Elections have requested constructing a new facility near the Brooksville – Tampa Bay Regional Airport Industrial park. Supervisor of Elections – Shirley Anderson contributed, “Keeping these three offices together is paramount in serving the residents of Hernando County. Often … residents must get documents from the SOE (Supervisor of Elections) before they can complete the homestead exemption process at the Property Appraiser’s office. The SOE and the Property Appraiser’s office also work together with GIS maps and districting data. Furthermore, residents can register to vote at the Tax Collector’s office while getting their driver’s license after which they frequently come to the SOE office to inquire about their registration and voting.”
Proposed funding for the Space Needs project would come from a bond issue. The estimated total cost of the project is $30,000,000. Part 1 – $20,000,000 – would be partially paid from Court Improvement Fund (1481); Part 1a and Part 2 – $10,000,000 would be paid by the General Fund. With the County pledging Sales Tax and based on a 30 year issue at 4.25% interest, the annual payment including interest for the Court Improvement Fund would be $1,200,000 and $600,000 for General Fund. Currently, the Court Improvement Fund has a Balance Forward Cash of $4,100,000 and annual revenue of $600,000. Based on this estimate, the Court Improvement Fund would be able to pay their full debt service payment for approximately seven years. After which they would only be able to pay an estimated $600,000 toward their debt service payment with General Fund assuming the remaining $600,000 per year. This amount is in addition to the General Fund’s portion of $600,000.
The half cent sales tax would bring in approximately $8 million per year.
Commissioner Nicholson was the lone vote against issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for design/build services for the $30,000,000 project. He stated he did not have enough time to look through the report.