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March 03. 2013 9:59PM
MILFORD - Though there's no money in Gov. Maggie Hassan's proposed budget to move the Milford District Court to the site of the former State Police barracks, the project isn't dead yet.
In 2009, a plan was floated to close the court on Elm Street in Milford and move it to Merrimack, but public backlash and a concerted fight to keep the facility open by the seven towns that are served by the court put that plan on hold. Then the Legislature passed a law requiring the court to remain in the Milford area and a plan championed by former Executive Councilor David Wheeler to raze the barracks and build a new court gained strength.
Last year, preliminary design plans were developed for the new facility and the hope was that construction would begin this year, but Hassan's budget did not include the estimated $4 million the project would require.
According to Marc Goldberg, the governor's communications director, there are more important priorities than Milford District Court, including restoring two judge positions on the Superior Court level, providing legal assistance funds and building a new women's prison.
"As the governor stated in her budget address, our fragile economic recovery means we are not able to address all of our challenges all at once, and the Milford District Court project was listed by Bureau of Court Facilities as their seventh-highest priority out of eight capital budget requests," said Goldberg.
The lack of funding doesn't mean the court will be closed, however, said Goldberg.
"The Milford Court will receive the funds needed to continue operating as it has been in order to ensure the people of the Milford region have access to an effective justice system," Goldberg said.
Milford Sen. Peter Bragdon said that while the project is on hold, it doesn't mean it won't happen. He thinks it's unlikely the Legislature will add money to this budget to build the facility in this biennium.
"In the Senate, we're going to have to trim some of the governor's proposed spending from the budget, and it's going to be difficult to try to add money back in if we're trying to take money out," he said. "It's not a trivial task."
Bragdon said he doesn't believe the facility has to be completed in the next two years to keep the district court in Milford, and the building could be included in the next budget cycle, but he said the lack of funding is disappointing.
"It's something we thought would be moving forward this year," he said. "But it really is up in the air right now."
nfoster@newstote.com
State funding for new Milford District Court unlikely
In 2009, a plan was floated to close the court on Elm Street in Milford and move it to Merrimack, but public backlash and a concerted fight to keep the facility open by the seven towns that are served by the court put that plan on hold. Then the Legislature passed a law requiring the court to remain in the Milford area and a plan championed by former Executive Councilor David Wheeler to raze the barracks and build a new court gained strength.
Last year, preliminary design plans were developed for the new facility and the hope was that construction would begin this year, but Hassan's budget did not include the estimated $4 million the project would require.
According to Marc Goldberg, the governor's communications director, there are more important priorities than Milford District Court, including restoring two judge positions on the Superior Court level, providing legal assistance funds and building a new women's prison.
"As the governor stated in her budget address, our fragile economic recovery means we are not able to address all of our challenges all at once, and the Milford District Court project was listed by Bureau of Court Facilities as their seventh-highest priority out of eight capital budget requests," said Goldberg.
The lack of funding doesn't mean the court will be closed, however, said Goldberg.
"The Milford Court will receive the funds needed to continue operating as it has been in order to ensure the people of the Milford region have access to an effective justice system," Goldberg said.
Milford Sen. Peter Bragdon said that while the project is on hold, it doesn't mean it won't happen. He thinks it's unlikely the Legislature will add money to this budget to build the facility in this biennium.
"In the Senate, we're going to have to trim some of the governor's proposed spending from the budget, and it's going to be difficult to try to add money back in if we're trying to take money out," he said. "It's not a trivial task."
Bragdon said he doesn't believe the facility has to be completed in the next two years to keep the district court in Milford, and the building could be included in the next budget cycle, but he said the lack of funding is disappointing.
"It's something we thought would be moving forward this year," he said. "But it really is up in the air right now."
nfoster@newstote.com
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