Hendricks County Ponders Capital Projects

Discussions on the current court house and other capital projects for the county.

 Last Tuesday June 12, 2026, the Hendricks County Commissioners held a joint meeting with the Hendricks County Council. The purpose of the meeting was to prioritize a list of capital projects that include an expansion of facilities at the 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex and a possible judicial center near the new jail at the East Campus.

The County Commissioners decide which projects to tackle and the County Council decides if the county can pay for those projects. It is always better for the taxpayer when these two groups are on the same page.

In attendance was the full county council, two of the three county commissioners, various county staff to provide support and other officials from the county, including the sheriff, judges, and representatives from the Town of Danville.

Commissioner President Dennis Dawes greeted everyone, thanking them for showing up. Dawes opened the meeting saying, “Our purpose really today is to try to come together on capital projects for the county and we’re going to, we’re  going to do that in a way that you may not like, but you’re not in charge.”

After a few chuckles, Dawes handed out a two page list of capital projects looming in the county’s future. He then asked each member of the joint committee as well as everyone in attendance to list what, in their opinion, are the top five projects in order of priority.

The top vote getters were, in order of most votes: Judicial Center, expansion building at 4-H fairgrounds, fuel station for county vehicles, roundabout at State Road 39 and Interstate 70, and a roundabout at Kirtley Blvd. and E. Main Street (Old 36).

Because the construction at the 4-H Fairgrounds will need to be completed between the 2026 and 2027 4-H Fairs, the council has already approved funding for preliminary work on the expansion project while waiting for bond financing needed to complete the project.

The top vote getter has to do with the future home of the county’s six courts. Currently, the six courts are operating out of the county courthouse. Due to space and safety concerns, the county is looking at either improving the downtown locations or building a judicial center near the new jail on the east side of Danville. (East Campus)

If the East Campus is chosen, it would include moving the probation, prosecution, and other justice services out of downtown Danville to the new location. If the county chooses to keep the courts on the square in Danville, significant dollars will need to be spent upgrading security, adding more office spaces, and increasing the amount of parking spaces.

Dawes acknowledged that this is an important and impactful decision for the county and for the Town of Danville. “At our next official commissioners meeting we plan to put together a task force composed of someone from council, the commissioners, input from the judges, Danville, even perhaps other towns and so on. We view that group really to be the ones to make a recommendation to the commissioners.”

Hendricks County is a dynamic county. It is an economic powerhouse with a surging population. It takes money to keep up with maintaining existing infrastructure and money to accommodate the new growth.

County Commissioner Dennis Dawes (left) and County Council member Larry Scott during the joint meeting.