At the County Commission Meeting Monday night the board unanimously passed 23-0 to appropriate 2.5 million dollars to purchase Three Star Mall and 400,000 dollars for the completion of the new Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center.
The ARP Committee met last Thursday night and commissioners discussed the appropriation of money for the purchase of Three Star Mall. There will have to be two separate purchases in order to appropriately use the $9.1 million health department grant, so the county will have to purchase the rest of the mall separately. The board passed both measures unanimously Monday night.
The county will only be purchasing the mall from JC Penney down to Roses. Kroger, Sally’s and Dollar Tree will remain under the same ownership. County Executive Terry Bell said the health department will go in the former JC Penney location while the expansion of the Warren Co. Senior Center and the UCHRA are also in the works. Commissioner Randy England called the over 2.2 million dollars, which includes over 14 acres, a fair price.
In other business the board approved 1.298 million for the school system to build a medical clinic or covid testing center should anything arise in the future. Director of Schools Grant Swallows said they would use ESSER funds for the project. Right now they can cover 80 percent with ESSER funds. But they cannot identify 100 percent they would not proceed with it. It will be discussed at their March 30 meeting.
Also Finance Department Director Justin Cotten told the board that he will be resigning his position in three months. In a letter submitted to the board Cotten said he has been offered a position that will better align with his long term career. Cotten has worked for the department for 11 years and thanked the board for the opportunity. His last day is June 2 allowing a replacement to be trained, finis next fiscal year’s budget and wrapping up several major projects.