Commissioners move forward with $7.5 renovation of old Pee Dee Electric building

County buildings will undergo significant renovations as part of a $7.5 million project approved by the Richmond County Commission Tuesday.

As part of the project, the Richmond County inspection, planning and zoning, and board of elections may soon have a new home.

“Our existing building, which was the previous Pee Dee Electric building on Midway Road. We’re calling it our Public Services Building … It’s allowing for another consolidation of county departments just to improve operating efficiency. Very similar to what we did with our [Administration Building], which was the previous bank. We brought in about six different departments into that building, (and) eliminated a lot of older buildings throughout the county. It really improved our efficiency. We’re doing that exact same thing over at the Pee Dee campus,” Richmond County Manager Bryan Land said.

As part of the project, Land said the county will move its GIS department, inspections, planning, zoning, information technology, building maintenance and the board of elections. Land added relocating the Richmond County Board of Elections has been a long-term goal for Richmond County.

“As you’re aware, the board of elections is in a tough area where they are. It’s very hard to get in and out of that building … It’s awful, and we’re really excited about that,” Land said.

After receiving no objection during Tuesday’s public hearing, Commissioners received financing options for the project. Following a presentation by Mitch Brigulio, senior vice president of public finance for Davenport and Co., county commissioners approved a 15-year financing plan through Bank of America Public Capital, which would provide Richmond County with flexibility if they chose to resolve the debt early. Including interest, the county would pay a total cost of $8.96 million.

“If you take a look at Richmond County’s debt over the last six years, we’ve been able to reduce the county’s debt by almost 50 percent. We’ve been able to do that because we’ve been able to pay things off early and refinance. I think we need to continue that trend, continue paying things off early and keep moving the county forward in a positive direction,” Richmond County Commission Vice Chairman Rick Watkins said.

The project also includes the demolition of the old Locker Plant Building and pave the parking lot of the magistrate building. Bidding for the project begins 2 p.m. July 11.

“It’s all part of the grand plan … We have had considerable interest in that project already,” Land said.