Get county building project done
Finding better accommodations for the Area IX Agency on Aging has been a long, arduous and even contentious undertaking for Flathead County.
As a new year approaches the county commissioners are on the cusp of finally awarding a contract for the construction of the South Campus Building that will house, among other departments, the Agency on Aging.
The commissioners solidified their support of the agency in October, voting unanimously to have the county continue providing services for the senior population. They also unanimously supported the plan to relocate the agency from its leased building on Kelly Road to the South Campus Building to be constructed on First Avenue West next to the Earl Bennett Building.
As often happens with building projects, though, the overall cost of the South Campus Building is likely to exceed the projected $6 million estimate. County officials say the building now will be closer to $7 million when the architectural and various permit fees are penciled in.
There are a couple of funding options being studied that potentially can remedy this expected cost overrun, and we encourage the commissioners to continue working on the numbers to keep the building project on track.
We should remind the public once again that the Agency on Aging will use only about half the space in the new building. The county Health Department will take a portion of the space for its dental clinic, and the department will contribute $1.5 million from its budget toward the overall building cost. The county Maintenance Department also will utilize some of the new building space.
It’s been no easy task finding the right building fit for the Agency on Aging. In April 2013 the commissioners were split about whether to relocate the agency to a county site north of the fairgrounds or put it in the south campus area. Some seniors accused the commissioners of dragging their feet on a decision.
About that same time two of the three commissioners voted to scrap a Community Development Block Grant application that could have given the county $450,000 toward a new Agency on Aging facility. Heated discussion followed that decision, with seniors imploring the commissioners to move forward with a plan to get them out of the overcrowded leased facility.
All of the past turmoil is water under the bridge now. The commissioners have voiced their support of the county continuing the Agency on Aging under its umbrella and providing an adequate facility to conduct services for our aging population. They are just one vote away from making that a reality and a happy New Year for our county’s seniors.
Commissioners: Let’s make it happen.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.