The Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors this (Tues) morning heard a request to move the Auditor/Election Department to a different location.
Auditor Sue Lloyd said they would like to move into the Colorize building at 317 East 5th Street in Storm Lake, which will be going up for sale. She said it would free up space at the county jail where equipment is held, and make it easier for voting machines to be transported to precincts during elections.
Supervisor Chair Paul Merten said moving the entire Auditor’s office would free up space in the courthouse, especially considering that the Supervisor’s meeting room would probably have to move to the new location as well. Merten said the driver’s license department is seeking additional space, and the Veterans Affairs department would have room at the courthouse as well.
Supervisor Kelly Snyder is in favor of pursuing the new location, but suggested keeping the Supervisor’s room at the courthouse. Snyder pointed out that BV County is growing, and said they need to plan for that.
The asking price for the building is 340-thousand dollars. Lloyd said the county was hoping to be able to use American Rescue Plan Act money for the relocation, but said most of the county’s allocation has been spoken for. The county has 185-thousand ARPA dollars available.
Lloyd expects at least two-thousand general election absentee voters to come to the courthouse. Election Deputy Karla Ahrendsen pointed out that the courthouse isn’t an ideal place for voting, and Merten said the move makes sense from a voter’s perspective.
Merten said the county should check on the timeline for making the purchase, and get their facilities committee together to discuss what steps to take going forward. Lloyd said if approved, the move wouldn’t be done until after November’s general election.
