COVINGTON, Ga. - Officials cut the ribbon on Newton County’s new Juvenile Court Community Resource Center Tuesday morning.

The center, located at 8205 Hazelbrand Road near the Newton County Health Department, was built with funds from the county’s 2011 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. 

“I want to thank (Juvenile Court Chief) Judge (Sherri) Roberts for her dedication, determination and her commitment to making sure that this came to fruition,” Board of Commissioners Chairman Marcello Banes said.

“Judge Roberts has done such an amazing job here to make sure everything is done and done well. She put a lot of hours into this building and this project. This is going to be a great thing for our community.”

Banes also thanked Kathy Morgan, who was BOC chair in 2011 when the project was put on the list of SPLOST projects, along with former commissioners Tim Fleming, Mort Ewing and the current members of the board of commissioners.

Banes also thanked Newton County voters for making the project possible.

“The most important people of all that we want to thank are the citizens of Newton County,” he said. “Without their efforts of going to the polls and saying ‘yes’ to the SPLOST, this project wouldn’t have happened.”

Roberts said the center was built with the community in mind.

“Our vision was to create a center for the community in every way,” she said. “Not just for those who have had bumps in the road, but everybody. The idea here is to create opportunity and hope.”

Roberts said the building is being used for programs including family treatment court and juvenile behavior health court along with other programs. She invited the community to become involved.

“The Juvenile Court is in the business of opportunity and hope and we want you to be a part of that,” Roberts said, “And that’s what this building is all about.”