County staff recommend staying at current public‑works site; commissioners ask for master plan and options analysis

Bannock County planning and public‑works staff recommended the county retain its current South Fifth campus and develop a master plan for office and shop improvements rather than relocate to a new property, and commissioners directed staff to study options and return with a plan in time for budget deliberations.

Planning Director Hal Johnson and county staff explained two high‑level paths they examined: (1) build a new campus at a different parcel (the "Porton Of Gap" property) that would require new well, septic, stormwater, utilities, a fuel station and perimeter fencing; or (2) capitalize on the existing facility by remodeling and adding new office space and shop bays, relocating vehicle storage within the site and demolishing or reconfiguring some yard buildings. Staff said preliminary estimates suggested using the existing facility could be approximately $3.5 million to $5 million less expensive than constructing a fully new campus, though staff did not provide formal appraisal figures or final cost estimates and said further analysis is needed.

Staff noted moving some functions — for example, the road and bridge shop or vehicle storage — would require detailed utility extension cost estimates if placed at the out‑of‑town site, and moving the county fuel station away from other essential services presents adjacency and logistics challenges. Commissioners expressed concern about utility costs and unintended consequences of relocation and generally favored a cautious approach: prioritize what can be done at the current campus first, and study relocation only where advantages clearly outweigh costs.

Commission direction: Commissioners asked staff to prepare a master plan for the existing South Fifth campus that includes options for office remodeling, added shop bays, vehicle storage reconfiguration and a recommended site for functions that should be moved off‑site (including a narrower set of candidate properties). Staff was asked to include property valuations, utility extension cost estimates and sequencing to avoid displacing departments during construction. A commissioner suggested staff also examine county‑owned parcels including a site near the Wellness Complex and other land holdings as potential alternatives.

Why it matters: Facility decisions affect long‑term capital costs, operations for public works and public safety adjacency (fueling and sheriff operations). Commissioners said they want a fiscally prudent plan to guide budget decisions in the coming cycle.