Washington County authorizes bank building feasibility study

WASHINGTON — The Washington County Board of Supervisors approved plans to conduct a $6,250 feasibility study for a proposed relocation of local government offices to the former Federation Bank Building in Washington.

The study, which will be conducted by Encite Architecture & Design, will shape future debates on the possible move, although the plan competes with already-studied relocation proposals to Orchard Hill, also in Washington.

At the same meeting, the county also authorized Encite to begin preliminary work on renovations for Orchard Hill and the County Courthouse. Supervisor Marcus Fedler said that authorization didn’t lock the county out of considering Federation Bank’s real estate, and that the new feasibility study would come first.

“If Orchard Hill turns into Federation Bank, the only thing it would do, theoretically, is change the location,” Fedler said. “We can approve the multitude of work that’s going to have to happen prior to construction documents … that work can start now, and once we determine whether or not Federation Bank is feasible, then we could proceed in any direction.”

Still, Fedler said the county couldn’t stick with preliminary work forever. Eventually, officials will have to choose whether money — likely from federally provided American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds — would go to one location or the other.

"The only thing that I’m afraid of, if I was afraid of anything, is that we keep kicking this can down the road, and Encite’s going to have to do something,“ Fedler said.

The new feasibility study comes after a handful of complaints about the Orchard Hill plan from members of the public and Washington Mayor Jaron Rosien.

“Taking that building off the tax roll does not serve the city in a perfect fashion, but I believe in the bigger picture, that property does,” Rosien said in a public comment during the Supervisor meeting Tuesday morning. “This decision you’re making has significant impact that far exceeds our lifetimes. If made incorrectly, it wouldn’t be a 3-5 year error, it would be a decision that has generational consequences.”

While both motions involving Encite passed unanimously, disagreements between Supervisors over the choice between Orchard Hill and the Federation Bank Building continue to surface.

Supervisor Stan Stoops said he had several reasons to prefer the former bank building, including the relatively low $800,000 price tag, safety concerns about an intersection near Orchard Hill and complaints he’d heard from constituents.

“If we don’t listen, how can we expect to be listened to,” he said. “I can give you some scripture on that if you want.”

Supervisor Richard Young said Stoops’ remarks didn’t reflect feedback he’d heard.

“It’s amazing how the people that talk to me is the opposite of people that talk to you,” he said, in response to Stoops. “People that talk to me say there’s no future growth at the Federation Bank Building … out there (at Orchard Hill,) there’s place to grow. We’ve got all that ground. I’m just saying what people have told me.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com