Members of the Franklin County Commission, along with nine former commissioners, took part in a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday in Union for a new county administration building. A crowd of nearly 100 people attended the event, held at the corner of Locust and Church streets, on property southeast of the courthouse. 

"It was great," said Second District Commissioner Ann Schroeder. "I was pleased with how many people were there. I saw a number of past employees and people on the committees. It was a milestone for a lot of people who worked on this project."

Nine former county commissioners attended: Ralph Smith, presiding commissioner, 1967-1974; Bill Diez, presiding commissioner, 1987-1990 and 1995-1998; Tom Fenner, presiding commissioner, 1991-1994; Gene Scott, presiding commissioner, 1999-2002; John Griesheimer, first district commissioner, 1989-1992; Les Bohle, first district commissioner, 1993-2000; Leroy Peters, second district commissioner, 1973-1974; Francis Overschmidt, second district commissioner, 1989-1991; and Phyllis Reed, second district commissioner, 1993-2000. Bill Walker, a second district commissioner who served 1992-1993, did not attend.

Mayors from several Franklin County cities attended, as did county officials and employees, and representatives from construction manager PARIC, and the project's architect, Treanor & Associates.

The former commissioners hoisted shovels of a dirt and gravel mix, alongside Schroeder, First District Commissioner Terry Wilson and Presiding Commissioner Ed Hillhouse, who served as master of ceremonies.

Hillhouse thanked members of building, financial and judicial committees, the banks involved in financing the project, and the community at large for its support. Schroeder and Wilson also spoke, touching on the same issues.

"This is a dream finally come to fruition," Hillhouse said. "One thing I think (having the past commissioners present) says about county government at this moment is that we stand up for a common purpose and work toward a common goal. . . It's about working together to make a difference."

Construction on the $7 million building, which will provide approximately 45,000 square feet of office space, will begin within weeks. It is scheduled to be completed in June 2006, at which time the county plans to begin construction of a nearly identical $7.5 million judicial building.

Both buildings will focus toward the courthouse, which is scheduled for a $2 million renovation after the two buildings are completed.

The county will pay for the project using lease purchase financing. Eight area banks will provide $6,910,000, which the county will pay back over 25 years at a 4.16 percent interest rate.

The county did not have to raise taxes to finance the project.

"One of the things I insisted on was that we not only examine what we needed, but what we can afford, because government buildings aren't necessarily sexy in the eyes of the public," said Scott, whose commission worked extensively on plans for new county buildings.

"A thorough process of consensus building took place here. A lot of hard questions had to be answered."

Griesheimer also praised the style of the proposed buildings.

"No. 1, it had to be affordable," he said. "But I thought the architecture had to be unique, and it's outstanding. It's a historic occasion, probably second only to the courthouse being built."