Senior center plans to move into former hospital

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John M. Steiner / The Sun The Stutsman County Commission learned Tuesday that the James River Senior and Community Center, seen here, plans to move to the old Jamestown Hospital building.

Talk about it

The James River Senior and Community Center is moving to a new location. Laurie McGuire, director of the center, notified the Stutsman County Commission of the move during the commission’s regular meeting Tuesday.

“We have made the decision because we’ve outgrown the space on the nutrition side and for office space,” McGuire said. “We have an opportunity to relocate our programs to the old Jamestown Hospital space.”

The former Jamestown Hospital building is being renovated into apartment space by Lutheran Social Services.

The James River Senior and Community Center has rented space from Stutsman County for approximately 30 years. When it relocates to the old Jamestown Hospital building it will lease space from Lutheran Social Services and provide program services to residents of the building.

“We go with sadness and a lot of excitement because we need to grow,” McGuire said.

The move should be complete by February 2013, she said.

In other business, the commissioners heard a report on the financial condition of the county’s funds.

“All the funds are in pretty good shape but the Emergency Fund and Correctional Center,” said Casey Bradley, auditor and chief operating officer for the county. “The Emergency Fund deficit spent $2.8 million last year and ended with a negative balance of $2.9 million.”

The Emergency Fund was used to pay costs associated with road repairs due to flooding last year.

The Correctional Center Fund finances the operation of the jail and Law Enforcement Center building.

“We need another $100,000 to make that budget solvent,” Bradley said.

Bradley said the Correctional Center is currently charging $60 per day to house inmates for other governments. He said raising that to $65 per day was under consideration.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, seniors