NORWICH – With a set summer deadline to relocate Chenango County’s judicial offices from the County Office Building to The Eaton Center office complex in Norwich, county administrators are ironing out details of the move and bracing for the changes that follow.
“We’re still on track, but we are working out some minor space issues,” explained RC Woodford, Chenango County Clerk of the Board. “If things continue the way they are, we should have all (court) offices in The Eaton Center by the third quarter this year.”
County court facilities have been working closely with Who’s We? LLC, proprietor of The Eaton Center, and engineers hired by Who’s We? since a lease agreement was signed by the County Board of Supervisors in September. Contractors – also hired by Who’s We? – are currently making necessary modifications before court offices move in.
While there have been minor disputes among various departments during the planning process, Woodford said those issues are being resolved and there are no major concerns at this point. The Chenango County Public Defender’s Office has already relocated to The Eaton Center, he added. Officials hope to start moving additional offices over by late spring.
The relocation of county court facilities – presently located on the third floor of the County Office Building – is to satisfy requirements of the New York State Unified Court System which mandated the county to find additional space to accommodate the growing number of county, family and surrogate court cases in the state’s Sixth Judicial District. The Eaton Center will house the county’s family, surrogate and drug courts, as well as the court clerks, the law library, the District Attorney’s Office, the Probation Department, and all respective staff.
The Chenango County Board of Supervisors approved a 30-year lease agreement with Who’s We? in September. Terms of the agreement outline a flat fee of $350,000 per year for the first ten years, not withstanding extraordinary events such as natural disaster or energy crisis that might effect day-to-day expenses. After the first ten years, rent will be subject to inflation but capped at a 3 percent increase, which averages to nearly $425,000 per year for years 10-20. That cap raises to 3.5 percent for years 20-30, meaning rent will increase to approximately $550,000 per year for the remaining 10 years of the lease.
As local court offices continue working with state advisors and Who’s We? to meet space requirements, county officials are also bracing for another challenge – the soon to be vacant third floor of the County Office Building.
