Douglas County commissioners want to explore the possibility of consolidating the county’s Public Works Department at one site near the county jail.

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

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

The idea of bringing public works employees together arose during discussion of funding the county’s Capital Improvements Plan, which stretches through 2012.

The plan includes road and bridge projects, buildings, fairgrounds improvements and other projects. The county has more than $10.46 million available for capital improvements. That includes funds left over from 2006 and funds already reserved for 2007. Most of the money – $8.1 million – will be spent on roads and bridges.

Currently, public works employees are divided between two sites: administrative offices, which are in a former church at 1242 Mass., and an operations facility at 711 E. 23rd St., near Haskell Indian Nations University.

While no money has been allocated for a new public works center, commissioners discussed options for the former church building. They said they had no interest in spending an estimated $100,000 to renovate the sanctuary to store voting machines. The machines, purchased a year ago, are now housed in a building at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds that also houses old district court records. The space needed for court records is increasing, Assistant County Administrator Pam Madl said.

A summary of capital improvement funds shows $450,000 that could be used to help with general improvements at the fairgrounds. Although no specific Capital Improvement Plan has been prepared by the fair board or the county, Madl outlined three needs: a concession stand and commercial kitchen; replacement of fairgrounds Buildings 1 and 2; and better signage.

“The main issue is, do you want to add money to these long-term projects?” Madl asked commissioners.

Commissioners said they wanted to see an improvements plan with specifics before making that decision.