Courthouse plan could prevent move

Pike County commissioners approved a tentative courthouse floor plan by a 4-1 vote at the May 10 meeting. It includes a 30-foot addition at the northern end of the courthouse to add 5,600 square feet and allow the constitutional offices to remain in the building. The additional space may also eliminate the need for temporary offices during renovation.’We can build the addition before we start renovation of the original courthouse,’ said Ben Carter of Carter Watkins Associates Architects. ‘We may be able to shuffle employees around enough so we won’t have to move them out of the courthouse completely.’The large addition would allow room for a smaller courtroom to be used as a jury assembly room and judges offices as requested by the Griffin Superior Court district and office space, records and vault storage for the tax commissioner, probate judge and superior court clerk’s offices.