An architectural drawing depicts an emergency operations center for Franklin County on County Way in Farmington. The county is set to receive just over $2 million from Congress to build the center, while it uses $1.67 million from its allotment of the American Rescue Plan Act for the project. Port City Architecture rendering
FARMINGTON — After a $3.67 million emergency operations center is built on County Way in a year or so, the Franklin County commissioners’ administrative offices will move there from the county courthouse.
Commissioners voted 2-1 Tuesday to move the offices of administrator, human resources, treasurer and bookkeeper to the new building. Previously it was decided to move the Information Technology department, Emergency Management Agency, commissioners’ meeting room and the Sheriff’s Office there also.
The county plans to construct an 8,700-square-foot building diagonally across from the county jail. The Sheriff’s Office building and the Regional Communications Center are there.
Commission Chairman Lance Harvell of Farmington and Commissioner Bob Carlton of Freeman Township voted in favor of moving the administrative offices, while Commissioner Terry Brann of Wilton opposed.
Brann said the District Attorney’s offices were on the ground-level of the county courthouse for many years before moving into leased office space about four buildings down from the courthouse.
There was an air quality issue there that has since been taken care of, but it still needs better ventilation, county Administrator Amy Bernard said.
The Emergency Management Agency, Information Technology, custodian offices and employee breakroom are on the ground-level.
Brann also said the top floor of the courthouse could be used because an architect went through the building and found it safe.
The Superior Court clerk’s office was up there about 20 years ago but moved to the Superior Court level after someone deemed it was unsafe, but Brann said he has never seen proof that it was unsafe. There used to be a mezzanine overlooking the Superior Courtroom that was open to the public, he said.
The county received a letter this month that it will get about $2 million from Congress to help with constructing the operations center. The commission will also use about $1.67 million of the county’s $5.86 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Most of the allocation has been spent on projects to save the taxpayers money and requests from the public.
The county also has tax-increment financing money available if it needs it. The project will not require taxpayer dollars, Carlton said.
Brann pointed out that it is all taxpayer money, meaning it comes from the federal government.
Harvell said if they spent the $400,000 to $500,000 to renovate the courthouse, they don’t know what they will find when they open the walls. They would have to renovate the building to fit the DA’s Office, which includes three trial assistants and three prosecutors. It would be better to spend the money on the new building, he said.
Bernard said her office would have to be divided into two if the district attorneys moved back to the courthouse, and the offices would be small. The commissioners conference room would have to be divided into offices also.
They have the money to build the new building, she said, but it is up to commissioners if they want to move the administrative offices to the new building.
Carlton said they have the money now and they only have one chance to get it right.
That was echoed by Lt. David Rackliffe of the Sheriff’s Office, who emphasized the need to do it right the first time.
Bernard said if they build a wash bay at the new building, it would require a new leach field.
It was suggested they build the wash bay at the existing Sheriff’s Office once deputies move out. It has a leach field separate from the jail, she said.
If they send the project out to bid in April, they could break ground in June, Bernard said previously.
Copy the Story LinkComments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
