Oconee to move ahead with Westminster magistrate home

Judge Will Derrick and his staff are going to get a brand new home to mete out justice to those who have business with the county magistrate’s court.  But Glenn Hart, county councilman from District Five, says the real estate deal, in his view, is one of the worst in county history.  The bid to build the office was approved last night on a 3-2 council vote, with both Hart and District Two’s Matt Durham registering no votes.  About the costs that are possibly to exceed $900 thousand, Hart said:  “All of the due diligence was done six months after the building was bought.”  The county bought a former church on E. Main Street and the original intent was to re-model the building.  However, that avenue was abandoned when the level of               deterioration was found to be so great that it wasn’t practical to try to refurbish.