At the Carroll County Quorum Court’s regular meeting on Nov. 21, District 11 Justice of the Peace John Howerton asked his fellow JPs for feedback on potential options regarding a new location for the Eastern District courtroom. Howerton chairs the quorum court’s Eastern District Judicial Building Steering Committee, which has been meeting for several months, with discussions initially focused on constructing a new building near the Carroll County Law Enforcement Complex on Hailey Road. The law enforcement complex houses the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Carroll County Detention Center.

Another option that has been discussed by the committee in recent weeks is the possibility of purchasing the space formerly occupied by Berryville’s Walmart Supercenter, in a shopping plaza located just to the east of the Walmart store’s current location on Trimble Avenue.

“It may not even be offered now,” said Howerton, who said the verbal asking price for the former Walmart space was $3 million. “In the grand scheme of things, (County Judge David Writer) thought it was a better project to pursue, to be able to move all of the county facilities out there instead of just a new courtroom.”

An architect and construction manager presented cost projections to the building committee earlier this year. The projected cost for a 5,632-square-foot building that would house a courtroom as well as office space for the circuit judge and staff was approximately $4.1 million, about $729 per square foot, although committee members noted that the architect and contractor intentionally built in contingencies for inflation and other factors, meaning there is a chance that actual bids might come in significantly lower.

Howerton said previously that he believes a new building could be constructed for around $3 million.

“I still think that we can fund that, but we’ve got to let it out for bids before we know for sure, which costs a couple hundred thousand dollars,” Howerton said at the Nov. 21 meeting.

While the former Walmart space is much larger, it would require renovations that would make it a much longer project than new construction.

“We have the money, or we think we could gather up the money, to pursue that project,” Howerton said. “But getting it purchased would be about all we could do at this stage. And then we would have to sit back and wait for the income- producing part of that property to build our fund back up again before we could go in and start remodeling to make the rest of our dreams come true, a section at a time.”

Several tenants currently occupy space in the former Walmart building, with some leases running 20 years or longer. Those leases produce net income of about $180,000 a year, Howerton said, which could ultimately help pay for the necessary renovations.

Howerton said Circuit Judge Scott Jackson has expressed concerns about having a circuit courtroom so close to the current Walmart location. District 6 JP Craig Hicks, also a committee member and a Berryville police officer, said he shared those concerns.

Hicks said he believes the committee has strayed from its original goal.

“When we first started meeting, our goal was: We need a new courtroom,” Hicks said. “Now I feel like we’re kind of getting away from what we started at. We need a new courtroom. I truly believe we have the funds available to build it on a perfect piece of property … out there by the sheriff’s office, that was bought originally for a justice center, someday. We can build on that property.”

Hicks noted that both the Eureka Springs and Berryville school districts are currently involved in ongoing construction projects, with Eureka Springs building a new cafeteria and Berryville putting up a new preschool building.

Construction costs for those projects have come between $300 and $400 a square foot, Hicks said.

“And just to comment on that, if our bid came in at that price, we would be able to pursue a new building, but just a courtroom,” Howerton said.

Howerton said it was important for JPs to discuss the issue because while Writer has the authority to enter into a contract, the quorum court has the authority to approve or deny the funding.

“The judge can agree to a contract, but if we don’t fund it, it’s dead in the water,” Howerton said. “So we need to know what we are willing to agree to.”

District 3 JP Harrie Farrow of Eureka Springs, who is a member of the committee, said it was difficult for her to compare the options because they are so dissimilar. She asked her colleagues to compare the financial investment required for each project.

“I don’t feel like I have a good grasp on that,” Farrow said.

“We would spend all that we would be able to afford to spend on a new facility at the jail site,” Howerton said. “It would just be a courtroom, Judge Jackson’s office, his support team’s office and a day room for the circuit clerk. If we went the other route, we would spend that much money in a much larger, old building that we would have to remodel as we were able to save up money.”

“We’d spend that much money before we remodel,” Farrow said.

“Correct,” Howerton said.

“That helps answer a lot,” Farrow said. “I’m all about doing a new one, honestly. It’s the financial differences, now that I have a better grasp on that. But, you know, I’m not going to be totally upset with the other way.”