Chancery Clerk Jim Pitcock’s call for the county to look into consolidating courthouses into one central Panola County location to cut down on costs has merit.

  Whether it’s politically feasible is a different matter.

  Anyone can probably understand the logic that one larger facility with courtrooms and offices and parking lot is less expensive to operate and maintain than two aging separate facilities with the same requirements.

Both buildings will soon be a half-century old.

But remember that we tore down two old structures to build the existing courthouses and at least part of the population has been complaining ever since.

Also remember, that courthouses exist to serve the citizens. But add to that laws requiring one in each court district were made when transportation and communication weren’t what they are today.

Transactions had to be done in person with some assistance from the U.S. Postal Service.

Now we can bank and do business online and most of the monthly or yearly payments to the county can be paid through the mail. Soon we will see advances so taxes, fees and fines can all be paid online.

Nobody wants to lose jobs, and citizens of Sardis don’t want to see any more doors closed and empty buildings. That town’s mayor is concerned and probably the Sardis Chamber of Commerce members are, too.

Pitcock said he has had few negative responses but from our experience, we’ve learned that no response is not necessarily a positive response.

Whether it’s good government or bad, a study into potential tax dollar savings, inconvenience to citizens, or economic impact on municipalities, it’s certainly worth a study. Isn’t it?

I remember a group of supervisors who looked ahead and pushed the envelope allowing our county to have curbside garbage, a decent jail and road paving equipment.

None were popular at the time, but I would hate to be without them now.