FARMINGTON -- Architects have refined their design for a proposed Franklin County office building and now propose expanding the new facility to include most departments.

In addition to scope, the project has now increased in price to $5.5 million, up from $3 million, Noel Smith of Smith Reuter Lull Architects in Lewiston told county commissioners Tuesday.

The trade-off would be that the old Franklin County Courthouse, which now houses most county offices and the Superior Court, would be modernized and expanded into a secure court facility with the work paid for by the state Office of the Courts.

Sometime next year, county residents would be asked to approve construction of a new county office building on Fairbanks Road beside the county jail.

Commissioners voted to move forward with the single-county building concept and authorized funding consultant John Cleveland to discuss options with the Maine Bond Bank and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development low-interest loan/grant program.

The board also asked Cleveland to set up a meeting with the director of the state's Administrative Office of the Courts to talk about the future of the historic courthouse on Main Street.

"My big concern is that if we go to the taxpayers with a $5 million project, we will need some guarantee that someone will take care of this building," said Commissioner Fred Hardy of New Sharon.

"We would be in for considerable expense if we stay here but if the state steps in, it would relieve the burden on the taxpayer," he said.

Smith said the county would need to spend a tremendous amount of money to upgrade the courthouse and still not end up with any more space to address the cramped quarters.

The county has been setting aside money each year in anticipation of expanding the sheriff's department and dispatch center. The project grew to include other departments and this year, the architects were hired to come up with a preliminary plan.

At the same time, the state court system and the Legislature have agreed to consolidate court services to save money and also determined that historic court buildings should be preserved with the cost paid for through debt service.

Smith estimated it would cost the county more than $600,000 to just upgrade the aging electrical and mechanical systems in the old building. The courthouse now houses superior court, deeds, probate, emergency management, district attorney and administration. District court and the clerk's office are in leased space across the street in the privately owned State of Maine Office Building.

Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991

bjespersen@centralmaine.com