The Warren County Commission was criticized last week by Warrenton Mayor Greg Costello in a request to have the address of the new county administration building changed. Northern District Commissioner Dan Hampson asked the city to consider the county's request to have the address read Highway 47 — rather than 101 Mockingbird Lane — while speaking to city officials during the public portion of last Tuesday’s board of aldermen meeting. The city addresses properties inside the city limits, with the exception of new subdivisions and developments which receive a five-number address by Warren County 911 when requested by the city. Costello said it was “poor planning” on the county’s part to now seek a change. Construction recently began on a 36,670-square-foot, two-story facility along Highway 47 and Mockingbird Lane. The facility, expected to open in 2012, will house all non-court related county offices. The county and city are currently at odds and involved in a lawsuit over building permits related to the construction of the administration building. The suit contends the county under state law is exempt from obtaining and paying for construction permits required by the city. No court date has been set to hear the case. Public Works Director Rob Hamlin, who assigns the addresses for the city, said how the front of the building sits dictates what the address will be. The county building will face to the south toward Mockingbird Lane. Hamlin also looked into the addressing procedures for MONENA, the Missouri chapter for 911 addressing which is utilized by Warren County 911. He said the addressing standard is based on driveway location. Under this policy, the county's building would still read the same since the lone driveway for the county property is on Mockingbird Lane. Pitman Funeral Home, located across Mockingbird Lane to the south, has a 904 Highway 47 address, but city officials say that is because the building faces Highway 47. Hampson asked city officials to make an exception. “We are saying as a county building, something that is vital to the community, such as our emergency management (department) and our health department, it is going to be something people will need to locate for the next 50 to 100 years,” he said. “I think it’s a pretty big decision. If you all can make an exception here, it would be very beneficial to the people of this county and even to this state.” Costello, however, lashed out at Hampson at the Nov. 2 meeting. “Is the suggestion that the public isn’t intelligent enough to find Mockingbird Lane?” Costello remarked. “Highway 47 runs from the north to the south end of the city limits. To say it's at such and such, I don’t follow that logic. I think the other problem with this Dan, it’s poor planning. This is the first conversation you’ve had with the city. We have not heard or seen from any of the other commissioners when you put this whole thing together. We could have told you if someone would have asked. But it’s been get out of the way, let’s do this.” Costello also added, “If you carry this to its furthest conclusion, if itSSRqs something important enough, a high tax producer, a Wal-Mart or whoever, you change your rules depending on who it is. Again, this could have been avoided if any contact had been made. We donSSRqt have these rules and regulations contrary to what some people think just to be aggravating. They have been there if you would have asked.” Hampson said the building has been set differently on the 3-acre site initially, but the layout changed due to topography and other reasons, such as parking. Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage and Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner, who both did not attend last week’s board of aldermen meeting, told The Record they also would like to see the county address read Highway 47. “This wasn't something we took lightly,” Hampson said. “It is what it is. I'm just asking that since it's a government entity and something that is vital to the entire community to make an exception. This is entirely up to you, your call.” Costello suggested the board consider renaming Mockingbird Lane since the county building would be the lone property needing an address on that section of roadway before the street turns into Tomahawk Lane. “To me, that would be the easier solution rather than changing the whole policy of addressing for the city,” he said. Ward 1 Alderman Dan Dieckmann indicated he would like to see further discussion held on the address change request. “It’s a big deal,” he said. “I think this is something I would like to talk to the rest of my board about before we jump into anything. It's something we want to talk through.”