Miami County Commissioners discuss plans for One Stop Shop; Cost estimated at $6.2M

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By Haylee Pence

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TROY – The Miami County Commissioners and other departments met on Monday to discuss the planning of a One Stop Shop to be built on Barnhart Road and State Route 55.

This meeting was to examine cost estimates of the construction of the building and preparation of the location for construction.

The One-Stop-Shop building is likely to house a number of departments and services, including the Miami County’s Department of Development, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and Plumbing Services from Miami County Public Health.

Their contracted architect, Choice One Engineering, provided those in attendance with the construction and site development cost estimate and the proposed floor plan that is currently designed with all the prospective departments and services that the committee has decided upon. The total cost estimate is around $6.2 million total for around 20,000-square-feet total.

The commissioners and other attendees discussed multiple topics in relation to the construction and possible leasing of departments and services. One topic was determining the security of the building and departments. The commissioners discussed utilizing an all-encompassing camera system throughout the entire building, as well as whether or not the departments would use their own camera systems or have access to the building-wide camera system.

The committee also discussed the metering of the building and if it would be one entire building or each department. The location for the building has to be large enough to accommodate large vehicles, like semi-tractors, which also increases the need for durable roads in that area. The commissioners discussed the need for durable roads with the representatives of Choice One Engineering, who assured the commissioners that durable roads would be put in to accommodate the larger, heavier vehicles. They also discussed the need for two entrances to aid with traffic flow. Each of these topics discussed had no definitive outcome, and it will likely take time and more cost estimates to determine the most efficient method.

Their architect stated that “everything is energy efficient.”

As the project continues, the cost estimate provided by their architect will be constantly updated. More planning is necessary for the commissioners to approve this project and provide funding. It is also necessary for all the departments to agree and sign leases for the new building.

While there is no definitive timeline on the construction, the “summer of 2023” is the proposed construction date according to Commissioner Wade Westfall.

The One Stop Shop is a “long-term benefit for the community by trying to provide a great service to the public,” stated Commissioner Ted Mercer.

The commissioners appeared in favor of plans for the new One-Stop-Shop, and they are currently planning to hold another meeting at 10 a.m. on Jan. 24.

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