Sheriff Couch announces his new office site

GAINESVILLE - Hall County Commissioners gave consensus approval for the 2 hundred and 56 thousand dollar design of the new Hall County Sheriff's office Monday afternoon and Sheriff Gerald Couch told them he wanted to locate his new office next to the Hall County Government Center.

"With this campus here, it appears that it would be the most cost effective option," Couch said. "The County already owns the property; we don't have to buy it."

Couch said building the 50,000 square foot office and headquarters next to the Government Center would save construction time and taxpayers money.

The Sheriff added that locating the office at the old county jail which became the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) facility, or the Regions Bank building downtown, were not cost effective.

"All the necessary infrastructure, including power, water, fiber optics and parking, is readily available at that site, which will save taxpayers money and reduce the time required for construction," Couch added.

The Sheriff added location, near two main arteries, Browns Bridge Road and McEver Road, would offer citizens a "one-stop shop" for county services. Contractors would build the framework and structure, but Hall County crews and inmate labor forces would finish the interior.

"Since we have these resources available, let's put them to use," Couch added. "I would much prefer to have skilled inmates busy on a project such as this as opposed to marking time incarcerated."

The current headquarters, located at 610 South Main Street, is currently leased from the City of Gainesville, and the lease will expire in 2017.