NorthwestNovember 3, 2015

Purchase will let county have various offices under a single roof, which will save it money on rent

ELIZABETH RUDD of the Tribune

MOSCOW - Latah County will soon become the new owner of the Almon Street Plaza, provided there are no unexpected problems in the next month.

The Latah County commissioners unanimously agreed to sign a letter to the seller Monday, indicating they intend to go ahead with the $500,000 purchase following a public hearing to adjust the budget. A date for the hearing has not been set, but the county's goal is to close the sale on the first week of December.

Commission Chairman Richard Walser said the county intends to consolidate its various offices and departments housed in the federal building on Fifth Street and Eastside Marketplace on Blaine Street, both in Moscow, to the new facility. The county now spends about $63,500 per year on rent for the two locations.

County officials began pursuing the purchase after learning the plaza was for sale at a price that will save the county money when compared to the cost of rent, Walser said. The Almon Street Plaza was also designed for office space, making any required renovations minimal.

The county previously toured the building and had it appraised, which came back with a value of $550,000. An offer of $500,000 was made and accepted by the owners, Patrick J. Nunan, Bielenberg Trust and Reece 1993 Revocable Living Trust, about a month ago, Walser said.

County attorneys have spent the past month reviewing the purchase agreement to ensure nothing was missed and there were no undisclosed issues, Walser said. No such problems were found.

"None of us can see any downside to this really," Walser said.

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The county plans to purchase the building with funding from its working capital fund, meaning it does not have to be borrowed or bonded. County Treasurer Lois Reed, who attended Monday's meeting, said the money is readily available and she believes buying the building is the right decision.

"This is a solid financial advantage for the county," she said.

The plaza will also give the county a little more space than what is being leased at the other two buildings, Walser said. The two-story plaza is 7,770 square feet, while the combined office space the county uses in the federal building and at Eastside Marketplace is 6,908 square feet.

"So we have a little bit of a gain," he said.

The county plans to move the driver's and vehicle licensing offices, located in Eastside Marketplace, and its extension and social services offices, to the new building, as well as some of the sheriff's office detectives. Walser said a transition committee has been formed to help plan the moving process once the purchase is finalized.

"We've had great landlords," Walser said. "That being said, this was too good of an opportunity to not take."

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Rudd may be contacted at erudd@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-8465. Follow her on Twitter @elizabeth_rudd.

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