Dallas County has some big decisions to make on a small property, with the topic discussed during a recent facilities workshop with the Board of Supervisors.

The facility is located at 910 Court Street, adjacent to the County Administrative Offices. Commonly known as the “Doc Hanlon building,” the location is expected to house election equipment for the Auditor’s Office, but it must first be remodeled to meet the County’s needs. The initial quote for the renovation proved to be much higher than the Board had hoped. However, Operations Director Rob Tietz pointed out that part of the estimate included some things the County found unnecessary, such as static-proof flooring. The largest cost in the project was said to be the electrical and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services. In the preliminary plan, the HVAC system would be located on the roof, requiring a three-phase electrical hook-up.

The alternative would be to keep the systems inside the building, which would lower the cost considerably. However, Tietz said doing the cheaper option would cut back on the overall square footage available for the elections equipment, which Auditor Julia Helm said was going to be thin to begin with. She also emphasized that they either want all the equipment stored at the location or none of it, as she said it’s important to keep everything together. The Supervisors will continue to consider the possibilities for the project, indicating they would task County officials with conceiving a bare-bones design that also includes options. Helm said she’d like to have the facility operational by next year, as her office prepares for the next Presidential election.