A design by Port City Architecture of Portland shows the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Farmington with an addition to the left of the front entrance. It will include staff offices, evidence storage space and a garage for minor maintenance of vehicles. Port City Architecture rendering
FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners approved a design Tuesday for an emergency operations building added to the Sheriff’s Office on County Way and redesign of Franklin County Courthouse offices.
The $3.7 million project hinges on the county getting about $2 million in federal funds. The remainder will come from the county’s $5.86 million from the American Recovery Plan Act, most of which has been spent or designated for projects.
Commissioners approved $260,584 for Port City Architecture of Portland to hire a general contractor and get bid specifications and documents together. The money will come from the county’s allotment from the ARPA.
Andrew Hyland, a principal with Port City Architecture, gave commissioners a presentation on the design, which includes an allowance of $550 per square-foot for the addition. The entire building would be about 7,000 square feet.
It would be built on the left side of the Sheriff’s Office building and include the Sheriff’s Office staff, secure evidence storage, a secure door into the office and attached garage for minor maintenance of vehicles, Hyland said.
Commissioners would have a meeting room in the old section of the Sheriff’s Office building, but their office would stay at the courthouse. Emergency Management Agency and IT offices will be in the old space at the Sheriff’s Office.
At the courthouse, the ground level would house the District Attorney’s Office suite and a county maintenance office. Because of air quality issues, the DA’s Office was moved from the ground level to a leased building near the courthouse.
Hyland said the county has mitigated the air quality issues.
The county EMA Office is in the ground level space.
There would be some remodeling to county offices at the courthouse. The Register of Deeds, Register of Probate, and the clerks/commissioners offices will remain at the courthouse.
“I think the departments were pretty happy” with the plan, Hyland said.
If the county does not get the federal money, they would at least have a plan, Sue Pratt, the county’s ARPA administrator, said.
The emergency operations building would have room to grow, if needed, Pratt said.
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