CHAMPION — The Trumbull County Commissioners have been looking at different locations for a 911 dispatching center, including a former Howland school, former Rite Aid building in Champion, the former county health department building in Warren and current health department in Cortland.

Champion Township Trustee Chairman Doug Emerine said he and other officials looked at a former Rite Aid building off state Route 45 as a possible 911 center location. He said commissioners looked over the building, but are looking at other locations as well.

Commissioner Rick Hernandez said commissioners also have looked at a former Howland elementary school building off North Road and the former county health department building off Chestnut Street in Warren.

“We have been exploring different buildings. The Rite Aid building in Champion is big. The Howland school building was even bigger and maybe bigger than what we need. The commissioners have been discussing how much money we want to put into a building that we don’t own. There are certain criteria for a 911 Center,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said the county maintenance department was looking over the Rite Aid building and will provide commissioners with input.

He said the former county health department building the county owns would make sense as a possible location, but would still need work done to become a 911 center. Hernandez said he is not sure that building would be big enough for a center, and there are power generators near that building.

“We are doing our due diligence and exploring different options knowing that we would have to use taxpayer money to fix the building up,” Hernandez said.

He said commissioners also have discussed the current county health department building in Cortland as an option.

Hernandez said commissioners will likely continue discussions this week.

He said whatever location is selected, there would be capital expenses involved to fix and prepare a building to be a center.

Emerine said at last week’s trustees meeting the trustees and fiscal officer toured the Rite Aid building with county commissioners to see if there would be interest for a 911 center to be located there.

“We will see if there is interest in this location and how that works out,” Emerine said.

He said there are vacant buildings along Route 45 and other locations in the township that can be developed.

“We want to see if we can spur development in some of these locations,” Emerine said.