Jackson County Commission approves Whitaker Architecture for courthouse study with $45,000 initial phase

The Jackson County Commission voted Jan. 28 to approve Whitaker Architecture to carry out an initial architectural and engineering programming phase for a courthouse renovation and authorized the commission chairman to sign the contract. The commission approved a not‑to‑exceed fee of $45,000 for the first phase, which will include an assessment of existing conditions, stakeholder meetings, conceptual layout options and an order‑of‑magnitude cost estimate.

Commission staff told commissioners the project follows stakeholder briefings that included judges, the district attorney, the circuit clerk and juvenile and probate representatives. The firm, identified in the packet as Whitaker Architecture from Aniston, presented a phased approach that starts with programming and conceptual planning before any larger design contract is executed.

The chair said the initial phase will allow the county to review the firm’s approach and cost forecasting before committing to additional phases. Commissioners moved and approved the recommendation by voice vote; a signed contract and full fee schedule will be presented to the commission after negotiations.

County staff said the firm’s remaining fees would follow a standard fee structure used by the Association of County Commissions of Alabama; exact amounts for later phases were not specified in the meeting packet. The initial phase is limited to programming and analysis and does not itself authorize construction work.

Next steps: staff will finalize contract language and present the negotiated agreement and fee schedule to the commission for formal approval before proceeding to subsequent phases.