The Garland County public defender's office will be moving to 415-A Ouachita Ave., a move County Judge Darryl Mahoney said should be completed by the end of the year.
Office staff will make the short move from the 223 Woodbine St. address the county has been leasing from District 6 Justice of the Peace Ray Owen Jr. According to a deed filed Friday, the county acquired the Ouachita Avenue building from William Wisely for $176,000.
"We're over there doing some rehab on the building now," Mahoney said. "We hope to have them over there by the end of the year."
The Garland County Quorum Court Finance Committee approved a $20,000 transfer within the general reserve capital improvement fund for a retainer on the property in August. A $165,000 transfer approved earlier this week paid for the balance of the purchase price.
Mahoney said purchasing the building will save the county money it's been paying to lease the Woodbine Street address. The 2020 budget the quorum court adopted late last year included $27,000 to rent the office space.
The state code requires counties to pay for the cost of facilities, equipment, supplies and other office expenses necessary for public defender's offices in their jurisdictions. The Arkansas Public Defenders Commission pays attorney and staff salaries.
According to the county's 2020 budget book, $30,000 was transferred from the general fund to the public defender's fund. The latter will also receive a projected $26,000 from the county's administration of justice fund, which is supported by filing fees and court costs.
The property acquisition that closed Friday is the latest expansion of the county courthouse and courts building campus. In March, the county acquired 518 W. Grand Ave. and the backside of 510 W. Grand Ave. for $218,000, according to property records.
Mahoney said the county has continued leasing the 518 W. Grand address to the tenant who rented it from the previous owner. The county plans on turning the backside of the lot into additional parking for district court.
"In 2021 we'll be going to two full-time judges instead of two part-time judges," Mahoney said of district court. "We expect the caseload to be a lot heavier, and we're looking to expand. The back part of it is a pretty large grassy area we'll look to turn into a parking lot for district court sometime next year when things get back to normal."