Commissioners move out of courthouse is complete

The Grady County Commission has moved out of the courthouse and into the former Grady County Senior Center located at 33 17th Avenue N.W.

County Administrator J.C. (Buddy) Johnson said last Friday was the first day the commission offices were open at the new location, but Monday was the first day all of the administrative staff was based at the former senior center.

Beginning in January, effective for the Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021 meeting, all Grady County Commission meetings will be held at the new location, unless otherwise advertised.

“We are in the process of settling in. Still a lot of stuff to be put up and clutter to organize,” Johnson said Monday.

County officials learned earlier this year that the Southwest Georgia Council on Aging had shuttered senior centers across the region with no plans to reopen them. On the recommendation of Johnson, the county commission voted to move the administrative staff to the vacated facility. The central social area of the senior center has been converted into commission chambers.

Last week, the administrator reported that neither the Grady County Magistrate Court nor the Board of Assessors had any interested in moving into the offices vacated by the commission as had previously been discussed.

Temporarily, the vacant offices will be utilized by Grady County Clerk of Court Debbie Kines as her suite of offices is expanded and remodeled. Johnson is also planning to make the former finance director’s office available to State Court Judge Joshua C. Bell in order to provide him an office in the courthouse and eliminate a $275 per month rental allowance that is being paid to Judge Bell.

The commission will meet for a final time in the board room at the courthouse next Tuesday night, Dec. 15. After that, the room will be available for use as a courtroom by the Magistrate or Probate Court, according to Johnson.

The board will hold its first meeting of the new year in the new location.

“I see this as a great opportunity to expand some of the other offices in the courthouse and be able to set up the new commissioners office in a way to be more efficient. The transition should be seamless and the new office should be up and running at 100 percent capacity January 1,” said Grady County Commission Chairman Keith Moye.

County personnel housed at the former senior center include Johnson, county clerk John White, finance director Holly Murkerson, executive assistant Mary Griffin and clerks Patty Crawford and Gail Cook.

The commission telephone number remains unchanged, (229) 377-1512, and office hours remain 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.