Courier-Leader photo/Paul Garrod
By Paul Garrod
Staff Writer
news4garrod@gmail.com
HARTFORD – The first draft of the Van Buren County Facilities Master Plan was unveiled Friday afternoon, Nov. 21, during an initial meeting for Van Buren County Board of Commissioners/administration, Van Buren County Courts, County Elected Officials and community partners. The meeting was held at the Human Services West Building West.
Van Buren County Administrator John Faul told the more than 30 people gathered for the Van Buren County Administrator’s Group Meeting, the Facilities Master Plan would present “a big picture of where we are going to go in the next 25 years. I think the plan will show the county’s commitment to facilities that are safe, functional and fiscally responsible”
Ryan Archer and Angela Lazarte, of Tower Pinkster, were in attendance and oversaw a 90-minute presentation on the Facilities Master Plan, which included an interactive session to give input on the future development of county facilities.
Archer said the county’s Facilities Master Plan is currently being drafted on 20 county sites and contains two volumes with approximately 300 to 400 pages of assessments. The planning report/executive summary is approximately 35 pages.
“The planning is really the meat of the report,” said Archer. We’re looking for input from you all to continue moving in the right direction,” said Archer.
During a 40-minute session, Archer asked the group to count off in groups of four and then work together to develop a model of what they would like to see the Paw Paw courthouse campus look like in the future.
The final Facilities Master Plan is expected to be completed in 2026, then it will be presented to the Van Buren County Board of Commissioners for final review, a public hearing, then approval.
