OCR Text |
Show Let's be practical The Iron County Commission Is moving ahead, at a rather rapid pace, with details that will result in the construction con-struction of a new Courthouse for Iron County. The development of a new courthouse has been underway virtually since September 16, 1971. It was on that date, under the direction of the Irn County Commission, that a bonding Issue was put before the voters of the county asking for authorization to issue General Obligation Bonds for such a purpose. At that time the Commission requested permission of the electorate to issue up to $600,000 In bonds for the purpose pur-pose "of defraying all or part of the cost of construction of a new County Courthouse." That bond Issue was passed by a vote of 1234 to 592. Since that time other consideration regarding the Courthouse, Court-house, or at least regarding the location of the Iron County Seat where the courthouse would be constructed - has resulted re-sulted In another vote of the electorate held this past November. Novem-ber. At that election voters were asked whether or not the county seat of government should be moved from Parowan to Cedar City. Under the statutes of the State of Utah such a change In county seat location requires two-thirds majority vote. , , In November voters balloted 4,103 In favor of removal while 2,578 voted to retain the County Seat In Parowan. Bal-lotlng Bal-lotlng was 62 percent In favor, six percent short of the required requir-ed two-thirds. The Iron County Commission again began their planning for a new courthou.se delayed nearly a year owing to the controversy of the County Seat Issue. Plans are currently being be-ing formulated and legal proceedings underway authorizing the sale of bonds for the purpose of construction. There seams to Ibe little question that a courthouse is goln to be built. Ee that as it may, the question now remaining remain-ing is what type of a courthouse will the commission authorize. author-ize. Throughout the recent election the Commission has taken a neutral position that the decision of where the County Seat was to b, located was not their business but was to be deter-minded deter-minded by the voters. BUT, the Commission did infer that It was responsible of that organization to locate AUL county offices at the County. Seat. With that dictum in, mind the Comission Is apparently going forward with plans for a building that literally Will provide for ALL county government offices plus additional offices that might be necessary over a long period of time. From all indications the building currently being plan-.ned, plan-.ned, but with little fanlfare or Imput to the general public, will require much amore than $000,000 authored in the bond sale, and which will require all of the county offices to be housed once it Is completed. lit Seems that the Commission, based on the authorization authoriza-tion of the bonds, the outcome of the election iregardlng' the location of the county seat,, and their responsibility, as they see it, to locate all county offices at the County Seat are joiner overboard In their efforts to construct a courthouse that will disrupt and completely change the present concept of administration of county government in Iron County, as it Is presently organized. One of the big questions at Issue in the November election elec-tion was the convenience of county services to the greatest number of citizens. County Commissioners in the past have apparently felt the need for accomodation to the electorate by providing a number of major services in Cedar City, under the direction of the Commission or the direction of tha specific spe-cific elected office responsible for those services. With the construction of a new courthouse in Parowan, designed for the purpose of providing adequate space for all County offices, it will make the matter of utilization one of question. Will those offices and services now located In Cedar City be removed to Parowan in order to utilize tlhe new building? The answer to that question seems to be an emphatic yes based on the apparent design and extensive features that are being planned in the new Iron County Courthouse. The new building will be a two-story affair with a full basement. The top floor of the new Courthouse Includes two courtrooms, judges chambers, jurors rooms for both courtrooms, court-rooms, plus other sundry areas for additional offices and services. Apparently the building plans call for a state prosecutors prosecut-ors office, county engineers office, offices potentially for the State Tax Commission and that Is all topped oftf with an elevator for use in the court proceedings on the second story. Court sessions of the Fifth Judicial Court have always been held in Parowan and should continue to be held at the County Seat. But, what apparently is in mind with two courtrooms is that the Juvenile Court, that has traditionally been held in Cedar City, would possibly move to the Courthouse. Court-house. The entire ground floor Is apparently designed for the convenience of all of the offices of county government plus additional offices for other district and state personnel as may be necessary. The offices also provide for large vaults for the major offices responsible for record keeping, plus much of the basement will be designed for the purpo?e of maintaining necessary county government records, With th construction of such a building with the multi. pllcity of offices available it apppears that It would be un. conclusive to county expenditure to maintain additional of. flee locations In Cedar City. It appears to us that the Commission, Indifferent to a majority of the residents of the county, are determined that an edifice in convenience of governmental services that are currently enjoyed by Iron County residents. Wouldn't dt be more realistic to approach the new building build-ing program with a total concept of county government in mind, continuing to provide many of the services of government govern-ment where they could best serve the needs of the people? A new building Is needed. But the building should be one of practicality. It should be a building that reflects an in-Put in-Put from the total county community, on? that will be both beneficial to the administration of county government and to the people, i I |