Public meeting about new courthouse in Barren County slated for May 31

GLASGOW, Ky. (WBKO) – Most of the planning and design work on a new justice center in Barren County is nearing its end.

The Barren County Judicial Center Project Development Board – often referred to locally as the PDB – has been working a little over two years to form plans for the state-funded project. The facility is expected to be built on land near downtown Glasgow along West Main Street.

Board members have led the work thus far with little to no community input, but an upcoming public hearing will allow people to express their views on the proposed designs and construction.

“Basically, it’s open,” said PDB Chairperson and Barren County Judge/Executive Jamie Byrd. “Everyone will have two minutes to step up and talk.”

The meeting will be held on May 31 at 4:30 p.m. inside the circuit courtroom, which is on the third floor of the Barren County Courthouse. People at the meeting will have two minutes to speak to the PDB members and others working on the project.

Byrd said concerns she has heard from the community about the renderings center around the lack of traditional design elements like columns. She agreed, saying the first rendering provided to the PDB was “very, very modern.”

Architects revealed a revised rendering to the PDB at the end of April, which included more traditional designs alongside some modern elements. Byrd said PDB members were pleased with the second rendering.

“The look of it looks very professional – the building does,” she said. “It fits well with the landscape there, and I do feel like it will be a great addition to Barren County.”

Byrd said other revisions to the justice center construction plans have mostly been to minimize “waste space” and maximize floor plans without exceeding the current project budget.

The Kentucky General Assembly budgeted about $32 million to the project over two years ago, but inflated costs associated with construction could mean the project will need more money.

The project is being funded through the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts and will not come directly from Barren County tax dollars.

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