The Marshall County Council cleared the last hurdle for the Marshall County Health Department to have a new home.
The Council unanimously approved the appropriation of the health department funds for the purchase and the renovations at their regular meeting on Monday.
Earlier in the month, the Marshall County Commissioners gave the go-ahead for the proposed purchase of the building that housed the Bowen Center in Plymouth before their move to a new facility along U.S. 30 by the Lifeplex.
The purchase agreement worked out by Bowen and County officials will have the Health Department provide an initial payment of $250,000 for the building with two additional $100,000 payments in the next two years. All three payments will be made from state funds provided to the department as part of the Health First Indiana program. The department will also set aside an additional $100,000 from those funds this year to make the renovations necessary within the building to make it suitable for the everyday needs of the MCHD.
At last months meeting President of the Commissioners, Stan Klotz, had told the County Council that the building had been appraised at $900,000.
The County will take over the maintenance of the building.
Klotz told the Council that the county has already sought quotes for the air conditioning system that is 25 years old. Klotz said the current system is totally operational, but it would be time-consuming to change out coils, and he felt if the money was there, they might go ahead and take care of the system along with signage for the building and other needs with the $100,000 for renovations.
Klotz told the Council that as soon as the closing was completed, they would give notice to the Community Resource Center of the Department’s intention to move. The current rent at the CRC is good until June. Klotz said he was under the understanding that another tenant was interested in the space and hoped to vacate early for the savings.
It is hoped the transaction can be closed by the end of the month.
