By Christine Haines
In a 2-1 vote Thursday, the Washington County Commissioners agreed to purchase the Crossroads Center office building across the street from the county office building known as Courthouse Square.
Republican Commissioners Diana Irey Vaughan and Nick Sherman voted in favor of the $10 million purchase, while Democrat Larry Maggi opposed it. The closing on the building is anticipated by the end of the year.
According to Irey Vaughan, the county will save money by purchasing Crossroads Center instead of renovating Courthouse Square. A newspaper ad priced renovations to Courthouse Square at more than $15.68 million over five years. That includes immediate corrections to pyrite problems causing structural damage in the garage, which serves as the foundation for the office building.
The purchase of Crossroads Center, moving and demolition expenses and ongoing operating expenses, minus more than $5 million in rental income, would come to $11.33 million over five years, according to the published cost-benefit analysis.
Maggi said the county is in the midst of a pandemic and should be looking at ways to repair the current building, not taking on new debt.
“I just don’t think we’re being good stewards of the tax dollars,” he said. “Within two to three years, we’re going to have to raise taxes because of this.”
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