Commissioners approve letter of intent for new county engineer site

Commissioners have approved a letter of intent to purchase a 7-acre property on Oldtown Valley Road in Goshen Township as the new home of the Tuscarawas County engineer.

The county is offering $3.2 million for the tract at 1427 Oldtown Valley Road, at the intersection of Oldtown Valley and Possum Hollow roads just outside New Philadelphia. The land is owned by Mushrush LLC.

According to the Tuscarawas County Auditor’s website, several buildings are on the property, all built in 2021. The structures have a gross building area of 22,676 square feet.

Originally, the county planned to renovate and expand the current engineer’s office at 832 Front Ave. SW in New Philadelphia. The engineer has outgrown the aging building, which was built in 1964. The conference room also serves as the boiler room.

The $1.4 million project was to be paid for mostly with $1.3 million awarded to the county in 2024 from the One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund. However, when bids were opened Feb. 25, only one bid was received, for $1.8 million, well over the project estimate. Because it was more than 20% above the estimate, the bid had to be rejected.

Engineer Doug Bachman said the Mushrush property became available in January.

“When the bids came back for our office renovation at $1.8 million, the only bid we received, it became a no-brainer,” he said. “Even with this renovation, our garage would still be 60 years old.”

Bachman approached commissioners with the idea of purchasing the Mushrush property.

“We feel it's a good decision to use the $1.3 million, plus we have an additional $250,000 to $300,000 set aside for something like this project,” Commissioner Greg Ress said.

Commissioners also are working with the county treasurer to secure grants to help fund the project.

Bachman also told commissioners his office is landlocked on Front Avenue. There also are concerns about increased traffic on Bluebell Drive, and it is difficult for trucks to get in and out of the current location. The Oldtown Valley site would give the engineer’s trucks easier access to U.S. Route 250 and other highways.

“We feel it's just a good spot for the engineer for the next 30, 40, 50 years with the relatively new building,” Ress said.

The sale has not been finalized.