WARREN — Trumbull County 911 Director Tacy McDonough pushed commissioners on Tuesday to decide on the move of her office because several new issues have developed at the Howland location, including the elevator becoming inoperable, increased sewer smells and sewer water leaking on dispatchers and on new dispatching equipment.

McDonough suggested at the commissioners’ weekly workshop that the various repairs needed at the building would cumulatively cost more than $100,000, including $30,000 for the elevator alone, in a location they are hoping to abandon for a new building. She noted receiving numerous email complaints from 911 employees expressing concerns about their health because of eye problems, headaches and throat complaints.

“You have prisoners who are in better conditions than our dispatchers work,” she said. “That building is obviously beyond help. My concern is if you put money in to fix these things, then you’re going to say you’re stuck there because we put all of this money into this money pit.”

Commissioner Rick Hernandez said 911 will not remain in that building and commissioners are waiting for a written contract offer from the Trumbull County Combined Health District to do what they are requiring from the county to move the 911 offices into its building in Cortland.

“We are aware there are bad conditions there,” he said. “We need to make a change. That move is going to happen. It’s going to happen on my watch. We want to make sure we know what the terms of the (proposed) agreement are.”

Hernandez said the county cannot continue putting money into a building they eventually plan to knock down.

However, Commissioner Tony Bernard said it is too early for the commissioners to guarantee the move to the Trumbull County Health Department building in Cortland because of potential legal concerns that must be addressed.

“We might have to advertise where we are going to go,” Bernard said. “Let’s not forget it will not be a free move into that building.”

Bernard suggested that before signing an agreement to move 911 into the board of health’s building, the county needs details about the cost to renovate, cost for the rent, whether it is for utilities, or something else.

Attorney Phil Danso from the Trumbull County prosecutor’s office suggested the way state law is written the county may be required to allow for open bidding for a new location.

“When we first began talking about moving (into the Trumbull Board of Health building) it was my impression that we were talking about no rent charge,” he said. “It was my impression that we were talking about no rent. We were talking about no rent charge. We were going to pay for our county’s utilities.

“It appears their intent was to pay all utilities, including their utilities,” he said. “My concern is if there is an exemption from the competitive selection, just because it (board of health) is another government entity.”

Commissioner Denny Malloy suggested they needed to research to figure out what they need to do.

Danso suggested they seek an opinion from the attorney general’s office.

They expect to have a proposal from the board of health within the next week.

Malloy also suggested the county must address the building of a proposed dog pound and the movement of the coroner’s office.

“Our dog pound is overwhelmed,” he said. “Healthy Hearts and Paws, which is taking in stray animals in Trumbull County, is out of room and out of money. It needs dog food, it needs supplies and it needs space.”

“They are basically at their last leg of asking for help,” he said. “There are going to be animals not getting the care that they need.”

Malloy said Trumbull County EMA Director John Hickey is working in conditions he should not have to work in.

“We have to do something now,” Malloy said. “We need to put this on our backs and get something done. It is not enough to argue we don’t have enough money, we have to do something.”

Hernandez suggested the county will have to take out some loans to address the various issues at the dog pound, the coroner’s office and EMA.

“We’re going to have to bite the bullet and take out some loans,” he said.

Malloy agreed.

Bernard said they should wait until they receive an opinion from the U.S. Treasury Department about whether some of the American Rescue Plan funds that are expected to be returned to the county because it was not completely used could be diverted to these projects.

“That is supposed to be coming soon,” Bernard said. “That alleviates us from borrowing money, which I don’t want to do. We just have to make sure how much money we have. I’m not sure borrowing money is the right thing to do.”

Malloy said they have to begin looking at various options, especially for the coroner’s office. One option may include sharing a building in Mahoning County for a coroner’s office.

“It is a half a mile outside of our county in Austintown,” he said.