It won’t be long now until the Cook County highway maintenance workers can move into the new Hovland Public Works building. Currently commissioners are considering ways to convey or lease the old garage to the Hovland fire department so its equipment can be stored there. Staff photo/Brian Larsen
Interim county administrator Rena Rogers gave an update about the ongoing work at the new county garage, which is nearing completion in Hovland.
“It should be functional here in the next three or four weeks,” Rogers told commissioners at the Nov. 12 meeting.
A final walk-through and punch list will be done on Nov. 25, she added.
The highway department is hoping to move into the new facility sometime within the first two weeks of December, Rogers said.
Meanwhile, the Hovland volunteer fire department approached District 1 county board member Bobby Deschampe about the possibility of the county transferring the current Hovland garage to the fire department. The building would provide additional space for their emergency vehicles.
“It would be beneficial to them,” said Rogers. “They are basically asking permission for us to pursue a lease with them or hand over the building to them. Once the building is empty, they can have it inspected and see if it is safe and good for their purposes.”
Rogers said if the county gave the building to the fire department, the liability and maintenance would be turned over to them. She also noted that the county would save $15,000 by not demolishing the building while at the same time helping the Hovland Fire Department.
“I think it’s an excellent thing to look into,” said commissioner Dave Mills, who also expressed some fear about the fire department’s ability to inspect the building for liability issues. Commissioner Deschampe said the volunteers would go in as a team once the building is emptied and inspect it together.
Commissioners authorized Rogers to look into the condition of the building and the details of creating a lease agreement.
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