SALISBURY — Commissioners approved a new lease agreement Monday that is expected to consolidate the county’s growing number of probation officers.
County Manager Gary Page said the county agreed to a 24-month lease with John Schofield who has an office on East Kerr Street. Despite ongoing negotiations for the Salisbury Mall, Page said the county needs to keep the officers near the courthouse.
“What we did was say we’re basically going to consolidate three offices into one space,” Page said.
Schofield has leased office space to the county for seven years, according to a proposal Page fashioned for board members.
The new lease will give the county 1,651 square feet of office space at a cost of $9.85 per square. Page said the space will cost the county $16,262, but the amount will be off set by the termination of an existing lease with former lessor Vic Bost.
“Probation officers need to be near the courthouse,” Page said. “If we buy the mall, because of their need for proximity to the courthouse, we couldn’t put them in the mall. This is three blocks from the courthouse next to the license plate office.”
The county is required by state law to provide space for the state-funded probation officers. The county has seen an uptick in probation officers in recent years, officials said, which has forced the county to lease more space.
Last month, Page said the county is considering moving the Sheriff’s Office along with several offices in the 402 N. Main St. building, which includes the Register of Deeds office, the planning department, tax administrator office and environmental health department.
Page said the master plans for those departments isn’t complete and would be years down the road, regardless. The need for probation space, he said, was immediate.
In other county business, commissioners heard complaints from several animal advocates who said the county’s use of the gas chamber was unethical and inhumane.
County officials have stated they’re not considering removing the animal control gas chamber.
Others voiced arguments against the county purchasing the Salisbury Mall and asked for more transparency during the process.
Eva GeoRene Jones, a Salisbury resident, was among the most vocal critics.
Jones spoke at a Nov. 18 meeting and presented commissioners with a Change.Org petition that had roughly 450 signatures opposing the mall purchase.
“Put down the grudges and the acrimonious public grandstanding,” Jones read from a statement. “Lay down your hatchets and pick up a shovel. We’ve got real work to do here.”
Commissioners also heard a second public hearing presentation for the proposed Gildan expansion. The measure was presented in October and required two public hearings per state law. The proposal will allow Gildan to build an additional 500,000 square-foot facility and add another 184 jobs. It passed 4-1.
Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.