Maryanne morse hopes her offer of surplus funds leads to quicker expansion of the crowded seminole courthouse

SANFORD - Seminole County's Circuit court clerk pledged Wednesday to dedicate leftover money from the operation of her office during the next few years for a parking facility in downtown Sanford.

Maryanne Morse hopes her offer of nearly $3 million during the next three years will speed the planning for the expansion of the crowded Seminole County Courthouse.

A key to the expansion is funding for the estimated $7 million parking facility.

Seminole County Manager Ron Rabun said Wednesday the price tag may be why city and county officials up for re-election this fall are hesitant to move forward on the expansion.

Rabun said the County Commission, in particular, is reluctant to proceed because of politics. When talking about a multimillion-dollar expenditure, they have reason to give pause. It's a hard decision to make. So, they are struggling with it."

During a meeting to discuss the status of the courthouse expansion, Morse said she understands the political ramifications of approving the project. However, she said, "Right now, we're standing still. We've got to move faster."

Morse said she hopes her annual pledge toward the parking facility will remove the hurdles delaying some of the decisions."

Last year, Morse said, she gave the county about $400,000 left over at the end of the year after office expenses, compared with $880,000 in 1994 and more than $800,000 in 1993.

Rabun said Morse's offer may be the incentive needed to boost the momentum of the courthouse project, which would take about five years to complete if work got under way today.

Meanwhile, Chief Administrative Circuit Judge New Brock said crowding a the courthouse is "a major problem - a crisis. We're out of space. I can't say it more simply."

Brock urged the city and county to work quickly to decide how the project will be funded, who will pay for what and when work will get under way.

Deputy County Manager Cindy Coto said the county plans to submit an agreement on those areas to the city in about 30 days.

Sanford Manager Bill Simmons said the city already has offered to help defray some of the project's costs by contributing land for a parking facility, offering utility and stormwater services and contributing money to the county from the city's economic development incentive programs.

Maryanne morse hopes her offer of surplus funds leads to quicker expansion of the crowded seminole courthouse

SANFORD - Seminole County's Circuit court clerk pledged Wednesday to dedicate leftover money from the operation of her office during the next few years for a parking facility in downtown Sanford.

Maryanne Morse hopes her offer of nearly $3 million during the next three years will speed the planning for the expansion of the crowded Seminole County Courthouse.

A key to the expansion is funding for the estimated $7 million parking facility.

Seminole County Manager Ron Rabun said Wednesday the price tag may be why city and county officials up for re-election this fall are hesitant to move forward on the expansion.

Rabun said the County Commission, in particular, is reluctant to proceed because of politics. When talking about a multimillion-dollar expenditure, they have reason to give pause. It's a hard decision to make. So, they are struggling with it."

During a meeting to discuss the status of the courthouse expansion, Morse said she understands the political ramifications of approving the project. However, she said, "Right now, we're standing still. We've got to move faster."

Morse said she hopes her annual pledge toward the parking facility will remove the hurdles delaying some of the decisions."

Last year, Morse said, she gave the county about $400,000 left over at the end of the year after office expenses, compared with $880,000 in 1994 and more than $800,000 in 1993.

Rabun said Morse's offer may be the incentive needed to boost the momentum of the courthouse project, which would take about five years to complete if work got under way today.

Meanwhile, Chief Administrative Circuit Judge New Brock said crowding a the courthouse is "a major problem - a crisis. We're out of space. I can't say it more simply."

Brock urged the city and county to work quickly to decide how the project will be funded, who will pay for what and when work will get under way.

Deputy County Manager Cindy Coto said the county plans to submit an agreement on those areas to the city in about 30 days.

Sanford Manager Bill Simmons said the city already has offered to help defray some of the project's costs by contributing land for a parking facility, offering utility and stormwater services and contributing money to the county from the city's economic development incentive programs.