BENTONVILLE — Potential tenants of the Benton County Health Department lined up Monday to tour the building to see if it is suitable to their needs should the county Finance Committee determine it is fi nancially feasible to move the Health Department into the Center for Nonprofi ts in Rogers.

The price tag on the move to the former St. Mary’s Hospital is $1.79 million to lease a portion of the building for 15 years with two options to renew. If the Health Department moves, the building will be converted to house the County Coroner, Election Commission and administrative o◊ces for the Road Department.

County Judge Dave Bisbee previously said a drug task force would be housed at the Health Department building at 1204 S.W. 14th St. in Bentonville but has since had second thoughtsabout the idea.

“Those guys are undercover, and the sheriff does not want everyone in the world to know where they are. If we move them over here, we have already announced they will be here,” Bisbee said. “It is hard to keep them undercover if everyone knows where they are.”

Coroner Daniel Oxford, Dennis Greenlee with the Road Department and Election Commission members toured the Health Department on Monday.

“It is a little narrow, but we can make things work,” Oxford said of a portion of the building slated to become the new coroner’s o◊ce. The coroner is located at 2501 N. Fourth St. in Rogers and is leased for $8,400 per year.

Greenlee was equally excited about the potential for moving. The Road Department administrative staff is housed inside portable trailers.

Election Commission members were enthusiastic about the possibility of moving out of its leased space, but emphasized the need to have a space thatflows well and is easily accessible. The Election Commission leases space at 105 S.E. Executive Drive in Bentonville for $58,050 per year.

Bisbee said moving the Health Department into theCenter for Nonprofi ts and relocating county offices into the current Health Department building can be completed in as little as a year after the Quorum Court gives its approval.

News, Pages 1 on 11/03/2009

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