Agreement would allowed sheriff’s department use of CBH building

St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department and Covered Bridge Healthcare are proposing an agreement regarding the use of a vacant county building.

During their executive committee meeting Wednesday, county commissioners fielded input from Sheriff Mark Lillywhite and CBH director Rick Shaffer.

Lillywhite said the proposed agreement centers on the former parks and recreation department headquarters, south of the county’s central dispatch facility in Centreville.

He explained CBH uses the front half of the building for a variety of purposes. Lillywhite said the sheriff’s department would like to use the rear of the building for training exercises and other relevant purposes that would likely involve municipal police departments across the county.

Lillywhite said CBH would oversee maintenance and utility costs of the building. Shaffer, meanwhile, said the agency has money available to make whatever modifications the sheriff’s department would need to its half of the building. He estimated it could contribute up to $10,000 toward the task.

Commissioners will formally act on the proposal at their July 20 meeting.