Trending
WARREN -- The Trumbull County Combined Health District is nearing purchase completion of the former Farmers Bank building, 194 W. Main St., Cortland.
That purchase also may lead to the county finding a new home for its 911 dispatching center, according to Trumbull County Commissioner Denny Malloy.
"The combined health district is finalizing the financing for the two-story building," he said during the commissioners weekly workshop Tuesday. "They expect it to be finalized before the end of the week or the beginning of next week. The district expects to move its offices to its first floor."
The combined health district is at 176 Chestnut Ave. NE, Warren. The 37-member health district has outgrown its location.
Malloy emphasized moving the combined health district to Cortland from Warren will bring it closer to the county residents who use its services.
"Warren has its own health department, so city residents still will have the services provided by a health department," he said.
OFFER TO 911
Once the sale is complete, Malloy said the health district's leadership is offering to allow Trumbull 911 to locate its offices on the second floor at no cost. Trumbull 911 will be required to do any remodeling, and maintain its space.
Trumbull 911 has been looking to move from its current Howland location, 911 Howland Wilson Road to a facility where it would not be in the basement of a county-owned building.
Trumbull 911's new Executive Director Tacey Bond, its assistant director Patty Goldner, and, on separate occasions, Commissioners Mauro Cantalamessa and Malloy toured the former bank building.
"We looked at several locations," Malloy said. "They looked at a building owned by the Western Reserve Port Authority on Pine Avenue in Warren, but it needs work. They also looked at the (former) Gibson Building (also Warren), which everyone seems to like."
The city-owned three-story building, 258 E. Market St., now called the Warren Government Service Center, houses several city departments, including Warren's health, community development and income tax departments, as well as the area's Social Security Administration offices.
Warren uses its rent from the building to pay for its upkeep.
The city in December 2013 purchased the three-story former Gibson Building for $2.5 million. The total amount spent on the Warren Government Service Center, including its purchase price, is $3.2 million.
ROOM IN CORTLAND
"The Cortland bank building has the space requirements needed by Trumbull 911," Malloy said. "It would have to be retooled. We have to make sure we will not create dead space during transmissions by not having signals reach radio towers."
Malloy said Cortland city officials would welcome the move by the combined health district and 911 into their downtown.
"County employees and those visiting these offices will patronize the downtown businesses," he said.
In the meantime, the county also is working to finalize an agreement with the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County to move its dog pound onto a plot on its property in Vienna.