COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A long time Branch County employee is retiring and the search is on to find his successor.
Branch County Administrator Frank Walsh told the county’s Planning Commission on Wednesday that Scott Walls will be retiring as County Complex Manager on July 6.
A committee made up of employees from each of the county buildings were scheduled to interview three applicants for the position on Wednesday with the hopes a recommendation can be brought before the County Commissioners during their work session on Thursday.
According to the county’s web site, the maintenance department is responsible for the safe operation of nine buildings operated by the county.
Walsh also reported to the Planning Commission that four bids were received for the construction of a new patrol garage to support the Branch County Sheriff’s Department.
He said there were two bids of over $1-point-1 million while two others were over $900,000 with a local company being the low bidder. The bids will be considered by the County Commissioners during their work session on June 18.
The garage will fill a long-standing need for additional vehicle and evidence storage that was deferred during the initial construction of the current jail facility.
Sheriff Fred Blankenship previously said that the need for the facility has grown significantly, and the project is expected to be funded using approximately $1.6 million in excess millage funds, negating the need for the county to borrow additional capital.
The new building is designed to serve multiple critical roles, including the storage of large evidence and departmental vehicles, while also providing a temporary housing location for inmates in the event of a disaster at the main jail.
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