MONROE — Green County officials on October 13 will present options to the full county board for finally dealing with the Highway Department’s space crunch and crumbling buildings.
It is decision time for the board, as the department’s needs have been well-documented, even if it’s initial proposed remedy — a $49 million building project slated for the county’s Pleasant View site — never gets approved.
In June, the county paused the proposed facility project, even as they were poised to vote on a bond issue to cover the cost.
Indeed, that project is still the top option being presented to the board. But recognizing that big infrastructure projects largely have fallen out of favor with taxpayers and their representatives, officials say they will have some far less expensive options on the table for board consideration this time around.
“Everybody now understands that something needs to be done,” said County Administrator Nic Owen. “We understand it’s tough out there for taxpayers, but something needs to happen to give them space long term.”
County officials previously said waiting would even end up costing them in the long run, due to a current rate of inflation that can add 4 to 8 percent or more per year to the price tag of a project — or in the case of the inflation explosion of 2022, as much as 15 percent or more.
“As I have said before, not doing anything still costs us money,” said Highway Commissioner Chris Narveson.
As it stands, Narveson and his crews are making due with the old complex, which unexpectedly lost more space than anticipated to the $86 million jail and sheriff’s office under construction right next door.
The space crunch comes as the county is working with heavy trucks and other equipment that are bigger and more complex, officials say. What’s more, the garage is needed, he added, due to aging heating and ventilation systems, and a lack of space to store and service many of the county’s vehicles, according to Narveson.
With planning help from contractor Kraemer Brothers Construction, the county had agreed on a 160,000-square-foot county highway department garage to be built at the Pleasant View County complex; and to likely to cost from about $42 million to $48 million to build.
For taxpayers, that would have likely tacked on about 60 cents to the mill rate, meaning the site could add about $180 a year in county taxes for the owner of a $300,000 house, officials said.
Looking to the future, Owen and Narveson say they are saving the details of the various options — including potential price tags — for the board’s consideration before releasing them to the public.
For his part, Narveson said officials have worked in the months since the original project was put on hold to listen to concerns and present a range of options, instead of just pitching a big project coming right on the heels of the new Monroe High School being built, as well as the new jail — all having an impact on tax bills.
“I’m cautiously optimistic something can be done,” said Narveson.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the county board room at the downtown courthouse.