After receiving no bids on GovDeals.com, the Jefferson County Health Department will list its former Hillsboro office, located at 405 Main St., with a local real estate agent.
The Board of Trustees voted unanimously on June 25 to list the 9,810-square-foot property with Cort Dietz of ReMax Best Choice in Festus.
The board had previously voted on March 26 to list the building on GovDeals for 100 days with a reserve of $700,000. GovDeals is an online auction for government agencies that has completed more than $4 billion in sales.
“I think this is the better choice,” said Steve Sikes, executive director. “We’ll see what happens.”
Sikes said the list price will be determined after the real estate agent completes his evaluation of the property.
“Its best attribute is location,” Sikes has previously said of the 70-year-old building. “It sits across from the County Courthouse and a block from the County Jail.
“It has numerous offices and a finished lower level with office space, as well. There is a meeting room we used for board meetings, etc. The HVAC units are fairly new, and there is a backup generator in case of electrical power failure.”
The Health Department moved out of the Main Street office and into its new office, 1515 Peach Tree Plaza Court, Hillsboro, last July and a dedication ceremony was held in September.
“We sold the contents first,” Sikes said. “Items like office furniture, file cabinets, etc., were sold on GovDeals.”
He said the building was built for the Health Department but has the potential to be used for many purposes.
The Health Department purchased 7.75 acres for the new building in February 2021 for $762,953.40.
Brockmiller Construction of Farmington began work on the $9.7 million, 19,957-square-foot, one-story building in January 2024.
Health Department officials have said the new, larger building was designed to meet all the department’s needs. The new facility has a clinical area with several exam rooms, including: a room for those with sensory issues; a drive-up testing laboratory; blood draw stations; a large conference room for board meetings, training and events; and fenced-in parking for the agency’s fleet, which includes its mobile health care units.
The agency also has an office in Arnold at 1818 Lonedell Road.