AOC and OJD Joint Task Force Passes Court Facilities Priority List
AOC and the Oregon Judicial Department passed its list of courthouse priorities for the 2019-2021 biennium on Monday, marking the third joint process where counties have convened to prioritize courthouse improvement and replacement projects.
“This was a team effort,” said Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock, chair of the task force.
The task force prioritized $137 million in courthouse replacement projects for Lane, Clackamas, Benton, and Linn Counties. Lane and Clackamas are seeking their second request from the Legislature, which previously allocated funds for project planning.
Benton, Grant, Polk, Umatilla, Coos, Morrow, Tillamook, and Lake also sought funding for improvement projects totaling $3.5 million. These requests will be included in the judicial department budget and considered by the Legislature next year.
The task force and the judicial department have successfully received funds for courthouse replacement projects for Jefferson, Multnomah, and Tillamook Counties over the past five years. In most counties, courthouses include both state and county offices.
“This collaborative effort is a great example of a strong partnership between the state and Oregon counties,” said Mike McArthur, AOC Executive Director. “We appreciate the continued support of the Legislature in these projects.”
About the Court Facilities Task Force
The Court Facilities Task Force is a collaboration between AOC and the Oregon Judicial Department. It was developed to prioritize courthouse replacement proposals, courthouse improvement and to provide a single, unified voice on courthouse related projects. To date the collaborative effort has proven to be very successful and a number of projects are already underway, including the new courthouse in Multnomah County.