GEORGETOWN — The Georgetown Town Hall has an awful long list of problems for such a tiny space, town officials say.

Aside from the space deficiency, bricks are separating in the 1909 structure, the electricity needs an upgrade and then there’s the mold.

One-hundred thousand dollars would probably fix building’s problems, officials say, but space would still be an issue. The best option, they say, would be to start fresh and relocate the town hall altogether.

A public hearing Tuesday night weighed purchasing the building and lot at 8378 Ind. 64, which most recently housed Larry’s Auto Mart, as the site for a new town hall. The price tag on the property is around $190,000.

Opinions on the purchase varied at the hearing, but Town Councilman Aaron Striegel said he thinks it’s the right move to make.

“I feel like we are doing a disservice to our employees to make them work in this type of environment,” Striegel said.

Town Council President Billy Stewart said the town has a 60-day option to purchase the Auto Mart property, but no money has changed hands. Input from two public hearings — including the one held Tuesday and another March 18 — will be weighed before the council considers whether or not to proceed with the purchase of the property.

The building under consideration has 2,400 square feet, compared to the 900 square feet in the current Town Hall, located at 9110 Ind. 64. Stewart said Economic Development Income Tax money would be used to purchase the property.

He said despite a tight budget, the council saved the town more than $200,000 since Jan. 1 by cutting three positions, including the town manager.

The lease-purchase agreement on the Auto Mart property would still cost the town approximately $1,450 a month for 20 years after EDIT funds were used for the down payment.

Georgetown resident Don Farnsley said he is against the purchase. He said the building was already sold to someone else before the town showed interest. However, no contract was ever signed, according to Stewart.

“I have some serious concerns about this purchase. It has a foul odor to it,” Farnsley said. “It doesn’t make sense. The property was already sold … papers were already drawn up.

“The next thing he (buyer) knew, the seller did not want to sell it and he found out in the newspaper Georgetown was going to buy it.”

“The seller can sell it to whomever he wants to sell it to. This sounds like hearsay,” Striegel told Farnsley.

Georgetown Clerk-Treasurer Doug Cook said he has talked to the property owner and he said the man did not have another buyer. He said the person who had interest in the property did not come up with the money.

“This is not a proper building for a town hall,” Farnsley answered.

Farnsley said the former Auto Mart has problems, including a leaky roof.

Striegel said he has talked to the employees who work in the current Town Hall and they said “it’s a nightmare.”

Farnsley said that is because the structure has not been maintained properly.

Stewart said he did not come into office looking to buy the building, but he said it “fell in our laps.”

“This piece of property came up and it was an opportunity for us to look at it,” Stewart said. “No decision has been made.”

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