Boyle County Fiscal Court approves MOU with AOC to pursue new judicial center

Danny Rhodes, executive officer with the Department of Court Facilities, told the Boyle County Fiscal Court on Jan. 13 that the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) has presented the county with a memorandum of understanding for a proposed new judicial center and asked the court to approve the MOU so the project can proceed into the state budget process.

Rhodes said the judicial center project was included in the judicial branch budget request and that state law requires a county-level agreement before the General Assembly will authorize funding. "Once the MOU is signed, the county will give authorization to the project development board," Rhodes said, describing the PDB as the decision-making body for site selection, architect procurement, construction and change orders. Rhodes explained that financing is structured as a minimum 20-year, state-backed bond issuance paid directly by AOC to a trustee bank, with the county reimbursed quarterly for operating costs tied to its share of occupied space.

Magistrates asked how the county's bonding capacity would be affected. Rhodes and AOC representatives answered that because the bonds are state-backed and authorized by the General Assembly, the financing does not count against the county's bonding capacity and that AOC will provide bond counsel and a financial adviser to structure the issuance. Rhodes estimated a multi-year schedule and said a realistic timeline, "if everything goes smooth," is about five years from authorization to completion.

Several magistrates urged local advocacy to support the project during the current legislative session; Rhodes said the AOC already had staff testifying at budget review subcommittees and encouraged as much local support as possible. The court moved, seconded and voted to approve the MOU with the AOC; the court recorded a voice vote after a call for the question and the motion carried.

The court and AOC staff said next steps include exchanging a signed copy of the MOU and working with the county attorney and PDB once AOC funding authorization is secured. Rhodes also said the PDB would include county officials and judicial representatives and would be authorized to make procurement and design decisions for the project.

What happens next: The MOU must be in place for the project to remain in AOC's budget request as the General Assembly considers capital projects; magistrates emphasized the need to press local delegation and stakeholders to support the county's request during the current budget window.