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Linn County approves $9,500 land-use study for proposed centralized elections building
Summary
The board authorized the chair to sign a $9,500 proposal from Emergent Architecture for a land-use and space-needs study to evaluate siting and feasibility of a centralized auditor elections facility; staff said funds will come from savings within the auditor's elections operations budget.
The Linn County Board of Supervisors voted Nov. 26 to authorize a land-use and space-needs study for a proposed centralized Auditor Elections Building, approving a $9,500 proposal from Emergent Architecture.
Todd Taylor, Linn County auditor, told the board the study is the "first step" toward consolidating elections operations into a single facility ahead of the June 2, 2026 primary. He said Emergent Architecture principal Gary Landhauser prepared the proposal and that the quoted cost is $9,500. "While this expense is not included in our fiscal 26 departmental budget or the capital improvement plan, we are optimistic that the cost saving measures that we have already implemented ... will generate a surplus sufficient to cover this cost," Taylor said.
Darren Gage, director of policy administration, said the study will assess which county-owned parcel across the street from the current offices is most suitable, examining elevation differences and potential floodplain constraints as part of the site selection. The board discussed that several parcels — including county-owned land formerly occupied by a lumber facility or auto shop — have been considered for this long-discussed project.
Supervisor Sheets and other supervisors voiced support for the study, praising staff for work to identify funding and touring existing facilities to better understand space needs. One supervisor emphasized the vote would not itself fund building construction, calling the action an informational first step to determine options.
Chair moved to approve and authorize the chairperson to sign the acceptance of proposal with Emergent Architecture for master planning services; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The board recorded the outcome as "motion carries"; no roll-call tally was provided in the transcript.
Next steps noted during the meeting include proceeding with the study and returning results to the board to inform future decisions on siting, budget, and whether to pursue capital funding.
