With all politics aside as to the way the new Courthouse and Administrative buildings where approved and the issues facing the Facilities Group, I have some distinct impressions of Paulding County’s new facility.

I was able to spend over 2 hours in a guided tour of our new government complex and I must say I was impressed. The design and construction of the buildings is well thought out and will be a point of pride for years to come.

The two buildings were designed especially for Paulding County with input from those who will be using the structures. The Admin building will house all the County departments and be a one stop shopping place dealing with county services. The building is very well laid out with special areas for the employees and public including a cafeteria. The building will house the administrative functions of the County and there are a number of different size conference rooms for public meetings and face to face problem solving with officials. You will be able to obtain permits, licenses, car tags, tax information, voter information along with planning and zoning under one roof.

The courthouse was designed with the input from the Judges, District Attorney, Sheriff’s Department and employees as a distinct building for our County. Several field trips were taken to other courts and ideas shared with the design team. Security, jury and witness comfort and flow into and out of the courts were well planned and should streamline court procedures. The storage space for court and county records will serve the county for years and be secure.

At this time the Administrative Building should be ready in November and the Courthouse early next year. Presently the County staff is going through each work space with an eye on furniture arrangement, access, work flow and even the location of electrical plugs.