WARREN — The Trumbull Health Department is seeking a response from the County Commissioners on whether they will agree to its proposal for a 50-year lease of the second floor of its Cortland headquarters for the new Trumbull 911 Center.

Frank Migliozzi, health commissioner of the Trumbull County Combined Health District, noted his board needed to know whether the county is seriously considering its proposal for the lease of its building, 194 W. Main St., Cortland, so they will know whether to look at other possible tenants.

“I would say our proposal is very fair to both sides,” Migliozzi said. “We would assume all responsibility for maintenance and utility costs on the building in perpetuity. I know there have been other counties that have done similar agreements.

“It would be a win-win on both sides. Our board has been patiently waiting on a response. They either want an opportunity to sit down with you to discuss this further, or if you can, just let them know if we are still in consideration. If not, we are going to pursue other interests.”

Commissioner Denny Malloy called the Health Department’s proposal very generous to the county, saying he was ready to vote on it. Commissioner Tony Bernard, however, is not ready to vote because he wants to explore other options, including determining if there is a building the county can purchase that would serve the county’s purpose.

Commissioner Rick Hernandez noted he is between his colleagues’ thought processes in that he agrees the health department’s proposal is generous, but also understands the need to consider every option that is available, including purchasing a building.

“You’ve checked every box we’ve asked for,” Malloy told Migliozzi. “The only thing is whether we want a building we will own for the next 50 years or if we are going to lease.”

Malloy prefers agreeing to the Health Department’s proposal.

“With you [the Health Department] handling maintenance and utilities is a gift wrap to the county with a bow on it,” he said. “The cost for us to rent for a month is basically what we are paying for utilities.

“I think a million-and-a-half remodeling is going to be a lot cheaper than owing $3 million (for a purchase) and then handling the maintenance for the next 50 years,” he said.

Bernard wants to make sure that leasing the Health Department second floor will be the right move for the county.

“I do have a problem of spending almost $6 million on a move on a building that the county doesn’t own,” he said. “I’m not sure that is the right move.”

“It is going to cost us a million and a half to almost $2 million to fix the floors and fix the roof on your building to make it right for us,” he said. “No one is going to pressure me to make a move before I am ready. I have to be ready to justify this in my mind.”

Hernandez said they have to look at the cost factor of the proposal.

“We need a little more time,” he said. “I would agree to a meeting with the [Health Department] board to discuss this further.”

Hernandez said he hopes they can get the costs down.

“There are some things that maybe we can look at to reduce the amount,” he said. “It is a wonderful proposal. We need a little more time.”

Bernard said they want to get answers on a couple more buildings before the commissioners meet with the health board.

“We have too many buildings here that the county bought in the past, and we either spent a million on them and then a few years later we’ve had to demolish them or get into a lot of repairs,” he said. “I just want to make sure that this is the right move.”

Malloy suggested the commissioners, prior to Bernard and Hernandez being elected, did look at other buildings with the Port Authority and other realtors.