The days

may be numbered for Coweta County's historic courthourse,

used as the county's judicial center.

That

stunning revelation during Tuesday's Coweta County

Commission meeting as the commissioners were denouncing a

report by the Grand Jury that called the courthouse

"filthy."

"We

don't have a pig sty. I haven't seen this filth,"

said Commissioner Vernon "Mutt" Hunter.

The only

problems with the courthouse are that it is antiquated

and not adequate for the county's increasing judicial

needs, Hunter said. He suggested the courthouse could be

used as a visitors' center, if the courtrooms and offices

were moved to another facility.

Chairman

Lawrence Nelms said the county has been looking at

alternatives, but dismissed rumors the county might move

court facilities to the Shanandoah Industrial Park off

Ga. Highway 34.

"We're

looking at something within a couple of blocks of the

present courthouse," Nelms said.

A possible

solution would be to move the facilities to the current

county administration building in Newnan or build another

facility. The county's staff is currently researching

funding mechanisms and one possible solution could be a

special purpose local option sales tax next year.

No figures

have been released yet on what a new facility would cost,

but Nelms said the commissioners have been studying the

issue for four months.

In

addressing the Grand Jury's report on the inadequacies of

the current courthouse, Nelms said the county has poured

money into the courthouse for renovations during the last

decade, but it's still basically an old building.

"You

can't make a silk dress out of a sow's ear," Hunter

said.

Hunter also

added that some of the problem with the alleged filth in

the courtroom is that some of the courtroom employees

won't let the county employees into certain areas to

clean.

The

commissioner also said that many times Grand Jury reports

are tied to how the members feel about the county

commissioners and not the actual conditions of the

facilities.

"If

you don't like me, don't criticize the courthouse,"

said Hunter as the clock on the courthouse struck 3 p.m.,

providing a fitting background.