Douglas County commissioners raised the possibility of consolidating its Department of Public works facilities at one location near the county jail.

“It does seem like that’s the direction we should be moving,” Commissioner Charles Jones said during this morning’s commission meeting.

Commissioners Bob Johnson and Jere McElhaney also were interested in the idea.

The subject of one location for public works came up during a discussion about projected funds for a county capital improvement plan through 2012. The plan includes road, bridge, building, fairground and miscellaneous projects.

The county has more than $10.46 million available for capital improvements. That includes funds left over from 2006 and funds reserved for 2007.

Under the miscellaneous category were options involving the sanctuary section of the former church building that houses the public works administrative offices at 1242 Mass.

Commissioners said they were not interested in spending an estimated $100,000 to renovate the sanctuary to be used for storage of voting machines. The machines, purchased a year ago, are now housed in a building at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds which also houses old district court records. The space needed for court records is increasing, Asst. County Administrator Pam Madl said.

Commissioners said they wanted to explore the possibility of building one public works facility on grounds the county already owns near the jail south of Kansas Highway 10 on Franklin Road.

The public works operations facility is at 711 E. 23rd St. near Haskell Indian Nations University.