Monroe County could be breaking ground for a new Justice Center as early as late winter or early spring in 2009, according to Thomas Poweleit of Venture Architects.

Poweleit met with the Monroe County Building Committee, along with representatives from Market and Johnson, on Friday to discuss preliminary plans and a timetable for the construction of a new $30 million Justice Center. Poweleit told the committee that with a groundbreaking in late winter or early spring, construction could be completed by the fall of 2010. Dennis Hubbard, who was appointed committee chair on Friday, said that he believes a groundbreaking in the spring is the more likely scenario.

“Spring is probably a more favorable time to build in the sequence we are at,” Hubbard said. We wouldn’t have everything in place by winter, and winter construction has its challenges. Breaking ground by spring is being very optimistic. I believe that is when we would like to have things in place so we could do that.”

The square footage, as well as the cost of construction of one building as opposed to two, was briefly discussed without action. Poweleit also told the committee that delaying the project could cost the county $75,000 per month.

“With the rate of natural inflation on $30 million, if you throw a number at it and multiply with a calculator, that is what he was showing us,” Hubbard said of Poweleit. “What he was implying is that with a project taking 24 or 18 months to complete, the more aggressive we go at starting to get it done, we would see savings from a potential increase in inflation.”

Hubbard said that building an environmentally friendly “green” building was also discussed. Committee member Ed Westphal also raised the issue of whether an environmental impact study should be done on the 74-acre site of the new Justice Center, which is on a wetland.

Poweleit indicated to the committee that the next step is to obtain proposals for surveys. Poweleit said that he will obtain proposals and bring them for review at the next meeting of the Building Committee, which will be held on June 6 at 1 p.m.

Teresa Pierce was named vice chair of the Building Committee. Pierce is chair of the Finance Committee, which will discuss bonding for the new Justice Center at a meeting on May 29. The purpose of the May 29 Finance Committee meeting, according to Hubbard, is to take an early look at next year’s budget.