A decision has been made....and the Wood County Commission officially has an architect for it's proposed justice center project.

Z.M.M. Associates was formally chosen to handle the planned $6.5 million construction.

The justice center, as planned, would house the sheriff's department, magistrate court, holding and home confinement centers.

"There's 'wants', and there's 'needs', and there's 'musts'," Commissioner Rick Modesitt cautioned. "We must take care of the musts first, the needs second, and try to come within our desired budget. Above that, we have to determine whether we can afford what's being proposed."

Z.M.M., which won the bidding after a second company dropped out of the process, is no stranger to county building projects. It designed and helped in the construction of the Judge Donald F. Black County Annex.