County explores moving treasurer's office after repeated mold remediation costs

County administrators told the Board of Supervisors they seek to relocate the treasurer's office after repeated and costly remediation of a basement location. The administrator said the county has spent roughly $48,000 on drying and remediation work and that the courthouse is being inspected by judicial-circuit staff, adding urgency to identifying alternatives.

As a proactive measure, county staff identified a vacant bank building in Blackstone as a potential temporary leased location that could house the treasurer, commissioner of revenue and voter registration offices. The building includes a drive-through for payments, a vault that could store voting machines and cameras at an eBay exchange location on the property. The administrator said staff would need to confirm that the county's financial systems and the BRAD/bright system (the county's finance/receipting infrastructure) can function from the new location and that generator backup and communications integration would meet continuity needs.

Board members asked staff to verify generator capacity, network connectivity and security, and to provide cost estimates. The administrator proposed a goal of starting a move by Jan. 1, 2025 if the checks are favorable. "I have to get the treasurer out of the building," the administrator said, citing repeated water intrusion and the need to protect records and operations. The board signaled support for a timely, responsible relocation once technical and financial feasibility are confirmed.