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By ZACHARY SEIFTER/ Staff Writer

The Chilton County Commission once again held discussions about a new courthouse during its meeting on Oct. 12.

The commission began discussing the matter at its last meeting on Oct. 5, when Commissioner Randell Kelley requested that the commission begin planning for a new courthouse. It was requested of Kelley that he put together a committee of commissioners and others to begin the planning process for a new courthouse.

In the meeting on Oct. 12, he presented his committee, and talked about how they would move forward in the planning process.

“My volunteer search team right now is Commissioner (Allen) Williams, Commissioner (Darrell) Bone, Commissioner (Jimmie) Hardee, Judge Sibley Reynolds and our administrator, Mrs. Sylvia Singleton,” Kelley said. “… When we get ready to build a new courthouse, we don’t want it taking us five years to make plans. We’ve got to find land, we’ve got to find out the layout of the courthouse, how we want it, and I think all the department heads need to have an input in this.”

Kelley and the rest of the commission began planning for a new courthouse because the current courthouse is in rough shape.

There have been large sums of money spent on fixing portions of the 60-year old building and more money will need to be spent on other problems, such as a roof that is leaking badly.

Kelley asked the commission for a resolution to allow county engineer Tony Wearren to put out bids to figure out what it may cost to fix the roof.

“We just need to know what it’s going to cost us to try to get this thing to stop from pouring,” Kelley said. “It ain’t leaking, it’s pouring.”

The resolution to put out bids was approved unanimously by all the commissioners present. Commissioner Matthew Mims was not at the meeting.