Supes ponder fate of two old buildings
The Lassen County Supervisors have begun discussing the fate of two county-owned buildings.
During the Tuesday, Sept. 19 board meeting, the supervisors discussed the vacant 476 Alexander Ave. building, and the nearly vacant 720 Richmond Road building, formerly the Roosevelt School.
The discussion about what to do with the two properties is purely in the beginning stages, county counsel Bob Burns stressed.
However, the county’s financial situation and the maintenance costs of the buildings have the supervisors looking for answers.
“I believe both of those buildings … from a fiscal standpoint, keeping them doesn’t make much sense to me … I don’t think either of them are of the type of construction or location or desirability for us to invest the kind of money that we’d need to bring them up to standard,” said County Administrative Officer Richard Egan.
During the discussion item, the board directed county staff to initiate the procedural requirements for declaring the properties as surplus property for disposal. The action is just the first step to determining the cost of maintaining the buildings, demolishing them or trying to sell them.
Deputy Director of Public Works Pete Heimbigner spoke about the conditions of the buildings.
For the Alexander Drive building, which formerly housed the county’s Alcohol and Drug Administration Outpatient Program, Heimbigner said,” I don’t see it being a real attractive fixer-upper.”
The Richmond Road property has the historical aspect, Heimbigner noted, but it has its share of issues as well.
The board directed staff to look into the cost of demolishing the buildings, as well and considering putting them out for bid.
Supervisor Tom Hammond noted he did not want to see the buildings fall into disrepair on the county’s watch.
Egan said he would be coming back to the board in October with more information.
“I’m not in a big hurry to do his. I just wanted to get the ball rolling,” said Egan.