Chair urges tabling of proposed 5-acre land swap behind jail over contamination and valuation concerns

Chair (Speaker 1) asked the commission on the record to pause consideration of a proposed transfer of 5 acres behind the county jail to the State Highway Department and recommended further study before a decision.

The chair told colleagues the parcel — part of the county’s industrial park — was acquired for industrial use and questioned whether the county should gift the land or instead offer a low-cost lease (for example, $1 a year) to preserve long-term options. He estimated the land’s value at about $10,000 per acre, or roughly $50,000 for the 5-acre parcel, and urged the commission to weigh that value in any exchange.

The chair also raised environmental concerns, saying multiple soil samples should be taken before any transfer because of the risk of persistent contaminants. "It acts as a forever contaminant because it has never naturally broken down," he said, warning that heavy metals such as lead and mercury could leach into groundwater if contamination were present. He said the county does not yet know what remediation costs could be and urged caution rather than haste.

Members discussed alternatives and timeline. One member asked whether the county had considered offering the State space at the county highway department to store equipment instead of transferring land. The chair noted arguments that a quick deal could be risky and that future governor decisions are an uncertain basis for rushing a transfer.

A motion to table the property decision until next month was made and seconded; the commission then voted to table the item so valuation, lease options and soil testing can be investigated before returning to the agenda.

Next steps: the commission directed staff to gather additional information on potential lease terms, a market valuation for the five-acre parcel and recommended soil testing options; the item will return to the commission agenda next month.