The purchase of the State Bank building to house county offices being evicted because of the construction of a new? jail seemed like a good idea at the time.
“You don’t get a chance to buy space next door to the county courthouse very often,” said Cowley County administrator Leroy Alsup.
A county commission doesn’t find its name on the delinquent real estate tax list very often either but the county was on that list recently for taxes not paid for the bank building. The county also had to foot the bill when two sump?pumps failed at the same time during heaving rains, causing?more than $6,000 damage to the building’s basement.
But the commission should not have appeared on the delinquent tax list since the county had filed a tax exemption appeal, Alsup said.
“It was just an oversight,” he said.
And the sump pumps were checked out last fall by an outside plumber who said both were in working order.
“For some reason, they both failed at the same time. That’s something you would not expect to happen very often,” he said.
New sump pumps are being purchased.
And the back taxes have been paid and State Bank will no longer be leasing space in the building so the county will not be earning income from a lease. That will eliminate any taxes the county owes.
That just leaves developing a plan to renovate the empty building, and raising the money to pay for it.
It’s important people compare the long-term planning for the bank building with the purchase of St. John’s campus by the city of? Winfield, and the long-term planning that went into renovating the campus and buildings, Alsup said. The bank building will provide adequate facilities for county offices for the next 20 to 30 years, he said.
It’s taken more than 10 years, a number of different committees, and two elections? for a new jail to replace the present jail which is overcrowded, antiquated and some believe unsafe for both inmates and corrections officers.
A one-half cent sales tax was finally approved in a special election?in June 2005. Originally, planners didn’t think the jail could be constructed on the space available at the courthouse without tearing down the east wing.?The bank building would provide office space for those losing their offices when the wing was torn down. The commission bought the building in October 2005 for $725,000.
The agreement called for the bank to continue to use the first floor area and driver teller lanes for one year without paying rent. Taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities were all issues addressed in the agreement. And?planners figured there would be enough revenue to renovate the bank building from the sales tax revenue, according to Alsup.
As work continued on the jail design, planners realized there was enough space available without having to tear down the east wing. “We didn’t have to immediately move anybody out,” Alsup said.
“Then the county commission and (citizen advisory) committee decided to go forward with the full project including phase two,” he said. It would cost more if they waited to begin phase two then to move ahead while phase one was being constructed, according to? Alsup.
“That used that money that would have otherwise been available to renovate the bank,” he said. “The first priority is the jail. The bank building will come …. down the road when we figure out the funding format.”
The property was off the tax roles until December 2006. The state board of tax appeals decided the building should go back on the tax roles for one month because the bank paid rent that month.? As long as the county doesn’t generate income from the building, it will remain off the tax roles. It’s a building that used to generate around $24,000 a year in tax dollars when it was privately held.
There is also insurance and utilities to consider. A “back-up” policy the county has may reimburse the county the $5,555 bill to clean up the flood in the basement and replace the carpet that was destroyed. If not, FEMA may pick up 75 percent of the cost, Alsup said.
There will be additional parking once construction is over, parking that would not have?been available without the purchase of the bank building, according to Alsup.
And that funding plan he’s working on to pay to renovate the bank building? Johnson County may be interested in housing up to 100 inmates here which would generate what Alsup calls “significant” revenue for Cowley County. No additional staff would have to be hired if 48 beds were set aside at $45 a day per inmate. Johnson County would fund transportation and medical needs. Cowley County would provide meals and uniforms.
In addition to the bank building, the county still owns 87 one-half acres of land south of town that was purchased from the Temple family when there were plans to build the new jail there. The commission considers the land an investment, Alsup said.
“It doesn’t cost us much to own that property. The revenue from farming pays the taxes,” he said.
The first phase of the new jail with 164 beds should be ready for occupancy in November, according to Alsup. There will be 220 beds once both phases are completed, he said.
County Commissioner Carmelita Clarkson was county clerk when the second jail committee was in operation and commissioner when the third and last jail committee was busy helping plan the new jail.
She has a “wait and see” attitude about the efficiency of the new jail but is definite about her feelings county offices need to stay together. It’s handier for people when they go to the treasurer’s office or the clerk’s office or the appraiser’s office, she said. The clerk sets the levy and the treasurer collects the taxes.
“They all need to be in one place,” Clarkson said.
Extensive remodeling will have to be done for there to be sufficient room to? house the county offices in the bank buidling, she said. The county is legally bound to provide room for the extension office as well.
“I hope it goes well,” Clarkson said.
