Bureau of Reclamation offers metal building for sale

Red Willow County commissioners tabled any decision Monday morning, but agreed to look at a 5,000-square-foot metal building that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has for sale in McCook.

Moving the building from the 1700 block of West Third to the county fairgrounds or to the county's District 3 shop in the 1400 and 1500 blocks of West Fifth would be a short trip, as far as moving buildings is concerned, said Commission Chairman Earl McNutt. Relocating it to Indianola would definitely cost more money, but it could then replace the trailer that the county road crew uses as a auxiliary District 2 shop there, said commissioner Steve Downer.

Information that commissioners received from the U.S. General Service Administration, which is contracting with the Bureau to sell surplus property, indicates that the 50x100-foot corrugated sheet-metal building could be used for any of these purposes: education, public health, parks/recreation, correctional and law enforcement and/or emergency management. It also meets the federal government's standards for homeless housing.

Commissioners doubted the structure's suitability for many of the suggested uses, but agreed to look into purchase and moving costs before making a decision at their Jan. 14 meeting.

The federal government requests an "indication of interest" by Feb. 1.

For another real estate-related agenda topic, commissioners went into closed session to discuss strategy involving a real estate purchase, possibly the former West Ward elementary school building in McCook.