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RECOMMENDATION: <br />Staff is requesting guidance from the Board as whether or not to consider the feasibility of the purchase <br />of this property. If the desire of the Board is to pursue purchase, staff recommends that Dow -Howell - <br />Gilmore be retained to perform the services described above and funding be approved for the study. <br />MOTION WAS MADE by Commissioner Adams to approve <br />having Dow -Howell -Gilmore perform services described in the <br />Memorandum. (Clerk's Note: There was no second at this <br />time.) <br />Commissioner Macht spoke at length against the idea of converting the Vero Mall for <br />use as a County Administration Building. He cited the fact that the present Administration <br />Building is a building that was built for another purpose (hospital) and expressed serious <br />concerns such as the air-conditioning system, the roofing, and layout of the Mall. He pointed <br />out that moving to the Mall would be another step away from north county. He believed it <br />was time for the Board to screw up their courage and build a new building with modest <br />specifications and furnished with inexpensive furniture. He spoke of allergic reactions he <br />has when walking into the present Administration Building. He used the new Courthouse <br />as an example of how to do things right. He believed that the availability of sales tax money <br />will obviate a bond issue and the interest expense; that it was in everybody's best interest to <br />design a building from the ground up to serve the needs of the staff and the needs of the <br />public at a minimum cost on County property. He hoped the Board would reject the idea <br />of purchasing the Mall and suggested the Board direct staff to get busy determining a cost, <br />a location, and everything else incident to building a new building. <br />Chairman Eggert agreed with Commissioner Macht. She believed the cost for <br />renovating two 40,000 square foot buildings at the Mall would be astronomical. <br />Commissioner Adams thought that having Dow -Howell -Gilmore look at the building <br />was a good idea because the information (at nominal cost) would help the Board rule it out <br />and aid them in making a responsible decision. She felt it was important to look at all <br />options. <br />Commissioner Tippin agreed with Commissioner Adams' position, saying that the <br />Board needed to know the bottom line cost to convert the Mall in order to do comparisons. <br />33 <br />December 2, 1997 <br />hooK `10 PAGEGA <br />