Staff photo / Chris McBride Trumbull County Health Commissioner Frank Migliozzi, left, talks about the department’s building in Cortland that the commissioners are considering as a possible site for the 911 dispatching center, as health board member Jack Simon, center, and commissioner Rick Hernandez listen.

WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners met with Trumbull County Combined Health District board members Tuesday to talk about buying a building in Cortland to house the county’s 911 dispatching center.

No final deal was made, as officials on both sides said more meetings are needed to work out terms that help taxpayers.

The commissioners want to move the 911 dispatching center to the Trumbull County Combined Health District’s site on West Main Street. They say buying it would save money in the long run compared to leasing space there.

“We’re ready to move on this thing immediately, whether it be the lease, whether it be the buy,” commissioner Denny Malloy said.

Malloy said the county is wasting money on the old 911 site. He wants to stop fixing it and focus on a new home instead.

The health district board members shared some of the history, including that they bought the building about two years ago after outgrowing its old spot during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trumbull County Health Commissioner Frank Migliozzi said grants helped them grow, but they ran out of room.

“We simply ran out of space,” Migliozzi said, noting they looked for options for months before finding the Cortland site.

The building was once a bank. Migliozzi said they got a good deal and moved in quickly after some low-cost fixes.

Now, the health district uses the first floor and basement. The second floor is empty, which sparked talks about leasing it to the county for 911.

But commissioners prefer owning the whole place. They could use opioid settlement funds to pay for it.

Commissioner Tony Bernard said buying makes more sense than renting. “I have a problem putting a million dollars into a building that’s not owned by the county,” he said.

Bernard offered a long-term lease back to the health district for just $1 a year if they sell. He wants no big rent charges. The health board likes the idea, but needs to discuss it fully.

Dr. Harold Firster, a board member, said they run like a business and must think carefully.

“I think that Commissioner (Tony) Bernard hit the target in the center,” Firster said. He suggested the board meet soon to decide if they want to sell.

Concerns came up about maintenance.

Board member John C. Messersmith worried about the county’s track record, pointing to crumbling steps at another county building.

“The front steps of this building are crumbling,” Messersmith said.

He questioned if the county could keep up the new site.

Commissioners agreed maintenance has been slow in the past. But Malloy said owning the building could mean assigning full-time staff there.

“If we have two agencies out there,” Malloy said, “we could probably budget somehow” for better upkeep.

Health leaders also shared costs. Migliozzi said utilities and maintenance run about $50,000 a year, mostly for electric and HVAC.

Both sides agreed to keep talking. The health board will review details like price and services, then get back to the commissioners.

Commissioner Rick Hernandez pushed for quick action. He also suggested selling the old health building on Chestnut Street in Warren to free up county funds.

“We know we’re going to move 911,” Hernandez said. “It’s just a matter of how we get there.”