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Blackford County commissioners move to buy nearby bank building for county offices
Summary
County staff recommended purchasing a nearby bank building for $200,000 to consolidate offices and avoid an estimated seven‑figure remodel of the current annex; commissioners moved and seconded the purchase after reviewing an inspection report.
County staff said on the meeting record that an inspection report for a bank building across the street supports buying the property and moving several county offices there. "We received the inspection report from the bank building ... and would like to approve that today through the purchase agreement," an unidentified county staff member said.
The staff presentation said the building is priced at $200,000, already has an elevator and would require only modest remodeling. The speaker contrasted that cost with remodeling the existing annex, which the transcript describes as likely requiring "seven figures" and lacking an elevator.
The move would allow the county to relocate prosecutors currently renting office space, consolidate economic development and other county functions, add conference space and reduce long‑term costs, the staff member said. A motion to purchase was made by Commissioner John Lancaster and seconded by an unidentified speaker; the motion was carried on voice vote.
The commissioners did not provide a detailed remodeling budget in the meeting text; how soon the county would complete a purchase agreement and the timeline for relocating departments was not specified.
The next steps the staff described are completing purchase paperwork and planning minor renovations; formal funding and implementation details were not included in the meeting record.
