Montrose, IA – The preliminary designs for a new building to house Lee County's Conservation and Health Departments were presented to the full county board this week.
The oversight boards for both departments have already reviewed the conceptual drawings.
The roughly 19,000 square foot facility would be built into a hillside just south of the Conservation Department's current office.
The building is expected to cost anywhere from $3.9-million to $4.5-million, depending on the paving of access roads and parking areas.
A committee has been working on the proposed shared facility for about two years.
The members examined more than a dozen properties, during that time, to see if an existing structure would work before settling on a new building.
The firm hired to oversee the expansion of and renovations to the Lee County Correctional Center is working with the Lee County Conservation and Health Departments.
The committee working on the shared building has asked the supervisors for permission to move ahead with more detailed designs.
Chairman Ernie Schiller says the board needs answers to a few more questions first.
"I think what the board would like to see is fundraising," says Schiller, "what do they need, what kind of architectural designs are needed for grant processes. So we have asked them to come back to us in late January."
Schiller would like the committee to also present a budget for the project at that time.
He says the board has not discussed what type of financial contribution could come from the county, if any.
If the county has to borrow money for the project, it's is expected that a public vote would be needed.