Chickasaw County supervisors discuss selling LEMC building, consolidating offices and interpretation of Iowa Code on county-seat offices

At its July 6 meeting, the Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors spent extended time discussing county buildings and department locations, including public interest in purchasing the LEMC building and plans to consolidate offices after the engineer relocates.

Chair said members had received inquiries from two potential buyers about the LEMC building and said he did not expect a sale immediately but would like research on market value and legal steps if the board decided to pursue a sale prior to the January–February budget session. "We still have to have a public hearing to sell any county property," the chair said, and asked staff to research what the building is worth and whether the board would be willing to sell it.

The board discussed a plan to move supervisors into the engineer's front office once the county engineer relocates (the engineer estimated an early September move). That would free back-office space for IT storage and provide a stable location for election equipment testing and training, reducing repeated equipment moves ahead of elections. Several members pressed for IT upgrades to support hybrid and remote participation, including better microphones and dual screens for presentations.

A committee member raised a legal question, citing Iowa Code §331.322(5): the statute "shall furnish offices within the county for the sheriff and ... the county attorney," and he asked whether that language requires offices to be located in the county seat or only furnished there. The committee member said the code uses the term "furnish offices" rather than "provide offices" and that the phrase has been interpreted in different ways in other counties. No definitive legal opinion was offered at the meeting; the member said he had reached out to contacts but had not received a conclusive interpretation.

Supervisors discussed preliminary renovation steps — demo estimates (the architect's prior estimate for demo was mentioned around $70,000–$80,000), painting, carpeting and planning for improved remote meeting technology. Chair said he would ask staff to solicit architect and contractor input and to bring cost estimates to the board so members could decide whether to proceed with a sale or consolidation.

The board did not take formal action on property sale or consolidation at the meeting; members directed staff to gather valuations, obtain legal guidance on the county-seat office question and prepare renovation cost estimates ahead of further consideration.

Next steps: staff to obtain building valuations and legal guidance on Iowa Code §331.322(5), the engineer to proceed with his office move schedule, and administration to develop a plan for IT upgrades and election-training space if consolidation proceeds.