FARMINGTON - Some preliminary findings to alleviate space constraints at the Franklin County Courthouse and Sheriff's Department surprised some members of the county building committee Thursday, but they found the ideas made sense after discussion.

Among those findings was to build a public safety facility on the 14 acres owned by the county at the law enforcement complex. It would house the sheriff's department and emergency dispatch communications, and possibly the Farmington Police Department, county emergency management agency and county administrative offices.

They also include moving probate services to the district court building and to relocating services at the courthouse.

Smith Reuter Lull Architect firm of Lewiston and Bethel was hired to do a space and structural needs study of the courthouse and sheriff's office. They have completed phases one and two of the contract.

Firm representatives plan to present their findings to county commissioners at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 1, at the county courthouse. The firm's proposed fees are $31,500 if commissioners decide to do all that was initially outlined.

The next stages would be to develop a set of plans and budgets outlining the feasibility and economics and finding funding sources to make them happen.

"These are very preliminary thoughts. They are very fluid, meant to generate discussion," Noel Smith of the firm said. "We are constantly trying to think about maximizing useable space…We want to do this in a thoughtful and cost effective way and also try to find available funding."

He told committee members to think of the buildings that they are dealing with as containers of functions. When there is too much in the containers, they start to break down.

Smith said both the courthouse and sheriff's office are overcrowded.

At the county courthouse, Smith said, the ground floor offices are substandard and they would like to see offices moved out of there. He suggested moving the assistant district attorneys' office, advocate's office, emergency management office and the state police office from there but leave the mechanical room, some storage, handicap accessible entrance and custodian space.

The district attorney's office and advocate's office could move up to the first floor on one side of the building and the registry of deeds would remain on that floor on the opposite side, he said. Some of the deed storage in the ground level that is often used could be brought upstairs.

Probate court and related services could move across the street to the district court area and use the small courtroom there or the bigger courtroom if needed.

The county commissioners' office and the administrative staff would move to a new facility that could be shared with Franklin County Sheriff's Department and dispatch; the Farmington Police Department, which is also overcrowded at the Farmington Municipal Building; EMA; and state police. The current sheriff's office could be used as storage and eliminate four cargo containers outside the building to store files and evidence.

In the upper floor of the courthouse, where the Superior Court room is located, the court, the jury room, lawyers' room, judge's chambers, and a holding area would stay. It was suggested the law library be move to the ground level from the upper floor.

Another issue that needs to be addressed is a mix of traffic of prisoners and the general public when Superior Court is in session at the county building.

Something needs to be done, Smith said, maybe a new stair tower could solve some of the issues.

The employee break room now on the first floor could be moved down to the ground level, Smith said. The moves at the courthouse would require minimal renovations and funding and not trigger code upgrades, he added.

Right now, they're in the fact-finding stage, Smith said, and they're just trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.