County finds new property in Colorado City
 
By Jayne Hanson
Today's News-Herald - Lake Havasu City, AZ
 
KINGMAN — The Mohave County Board of Supervisors selected a Colorado City property Monday that could possibly be the new site for the county multi-use facility left homeless earlier this year after Mohave Community College chose not to renew the previous land lease agreement. Moccasin Consolidated Court is now entwined with the relocation in question and there is a possibility the design and construction of a new court could include a handful of agencies under one roof to accommodate the county sheriff’s and county attorney’s offices.

During a discussion prior to the vote, Deputy County Manager for Development and Public Works Services Mike Hendrix said 15 Realtors were consulted in regard to searching for properties suited for the relocation or possible construction of a new building to house the Mohave County Sheriff’s Department, Mohave County Attorney, and new judicial system currently operating as Moccasin Consolidated Court.

Several properties located in areas including Scenic, Beaver Dam, Littlefield, Fredonia and Colorado City were recently considered for a potential location, Hendrix said.

The supervisors voted unanimously for further investigation into a suitable property located one mile south of Colorado City situated very near Colorado City Municipal Airport.

"It (Colorado City property) was proposed as a donation," Hendrix said. The property’s "fatal flaw" is in regard to utilities and DSL service that may not be readily available, and are necessary for the sheriff’s and county attorney’s offices operations, he said.

"Deciding on a property is dependent upon what you (supervisors) want to do with it," said Mohave County Manager Ron Walker. Co-locating the facility with the courts, separating the entities, or possibly even constructing two buildings, he said.

Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson, R-Dist. 3, questioned Hendrix about looking into state land in the area. "We have dropped off the state properties ... it could be nine, 12, 16 months until they would be available," Hendrix said.

The improvement issues surrounding the Moccasin Consolidated Court have become entwined with the relocation and property selection for the sheriff’s and county attorney’s modular buildings placement.

"The building (Moccasin Consolidated Courts) is very poor and rundown ... the courts have been hoping for several years for a new court," said Mohave County Superior Court Administrator Kip Anderson of the facility’s current situation. "We are supportive of action to move forward and we would be happy to be co-located," he said of the courts being housed with the sheriff’s and county attorney’s office. The Moccasin courts, however, prefer a different property than the Colorado City one voted for closer examination in Monday’s meeting for reasons of avoiding political conflicts that could prevail in that location, but assured the supervisors "the court would be neutral no matter where we are at," according to Anderson.

Walker noted construction of a new county building to house the sheriff’s office and the county attorney’s office was not included in the county’s five-year plan, but construction of a new court is.

Mohave County Tom Sheahan supported the supervisors’ selection of the property located one mile south of Colorado City and suggested the county’s modular buildings be moved there despite the undecided issue to co-habitat with the courts, stating the sheriff’s office "would be a good neighbor" regardless.

Supervisor Johnson agreed with Sheahan, "It is a good idea to move the trailer over there, but if the decision is made to build, then build it all at once," Johnson said.

"It is (Mohave County Superior Court Presiding) Judge Bartlett’s ultimate authority to put the kibosh on the decision," Mike Hendrix said as a reminder to the supervisors.

"We are not here to step on anyone’s toes ... but we are here to save taxpayers money," said Mohave County Supervisor Gary Watson, R-Dist. 1.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.
 
havasunews.com
Originally published May 18, 2009
 
Back