The Benton County Board of Commissioners had their final site selection meeting on Friday and unanimously approved moving forward with the North site to house the new criminal justice facility.
The two sites that it came down to were the West and North sites. The West is located in West Corvallis on Reservoir Road, while the North site is located at Circle Blvd. and Highway 20, next to the Hewlett-Packard campus.
During deliberations, all three commissioners strongly favored the North site due to its minimal impact on residential areas and proximity to downtown, as well as favorable comments from community members during a town hall meeting on Thursday.
“There is no question that the North site is better suited for a justice facility,” said Nick Kurth, Manager of the Justice System Improvement Program. “You can’t really argue that the North site isn’t the better choice; bottom line [is] it’s the strongest because of its proximity to downtown and resources [that are] available.”
Benton County secured a letter of intent with the owner of the West site, and negotiations continue with a representative of McFadden Ranch, LLC., for purchase of the North site, according to a press release from the county.
“After seven months of negotiations with McFadden Ranch, LCC and [we] still have very different opinions on the cost of both sites. The West is close to $2 million while the North is closer to $7 million so it’s a big difference,” said Kurth. “The cost implications on the North are significant but will be worth it over time. However, there will be immediate implications against the county for that cost.”
The final decision will go before the voters on the May 2023 ballot.
By: Jennifer Williams
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