TRUMBULL COUNTY Health officials, building owner to start talks

A deal is not certain, the county administrator said.
WARREN -- Negotiations are expected to begin soon between the Trumbull County Health Department and a potential new landlord.
County commissioners approved initiating talks Thursday with county and health department officials and Parker-Porter Ltd., owner of a building on North Park Avenue.
The company submitted the lone bid to lease space to the county through an open bidding process that ended last month. Its bid to rent office and clinic space came in at slightly under $8,000 a month, said Tony Carson, county administrator.
Recommendation
Carson had recommended that commissioners seek bids a second time to get more response from potential landlords. However, the county prosecutor's office advised commissioners that seeking bids a second time could appear to undermine the bidding process.
Starting negotiations does not imply that the county will ultimately rent from Parker-Porter, Carson said. Had more potential landlords bid for the lease, the county might have negotiated with all of them, he said.
Any structure rented by the county would have to be renovated to the health department's specifications.
Health Commissioner James Enyeart said the Parker-Porter building would be acceptable. Commissioners are legally responsible for providing the department with a home.
The department's health clinic, inspectors, educators and administrators are in a county-owned building on Chestnut Street Northwest with a seriously leaking roof and an infestation of poisonous mold in the basement.
Commissioners have talked about finding a new home for the department since the mold was discovered in May 2002.