Marshall County Commissioners receive update on proposed purchase of Bowen Center building

Marshall County Attorney Sean Surrisi updated the Marshall County Commissioners on the purchase of the Bowen Center property on Illinois Street as a new site for the Marshall County Health Department.

Surrisi contacted the Bowen Center’s attorney in Indianapolis. They are working together on the structure of the purchase. The commissioner's approval is expected at their next meeting, on February 3 or the 17.  He said the county council may need to approve the agreement before the commissioner's approval.

Stan Klotz, president of the commissioners told GIANT fm WTCA that while the county council wanted to extend the county’s $200,000 payment out to $50,000 a year for four years, Klotz said Bowen Center did not appear to be agreeable to that, they were only willing to allow the county two years for the interest-free payments of $100,000 annually.

Commissioner Jesse Bohannon said during the council’s meeting, they commented that the Health Department could have additional funding to pay a majority of the county’s share, but he wanted to remind everyone that the health department won’t be using the entire.  He said, “I don’t know how fair it is to expect the health department to pay for that entire building and then allow us to use 40 to 50 percent of that space for another department.”   

Klotz said the extra space would be minimal.  While the health department will be paying much of the cost there will still be maintenance costs the county will be paying for such as snow plowing, grass mowing and trimming, and routine interior maintenance like changing light bulbs.

Klotz said the county health board will also need to review the purchase contract since they are putting in more than half of the purchase price.  Once approved by the board the commissioners will vote on the agreement.