The vote reverses an earlier decision made by commissioners last August to build the expandable, 39,000-square-foot facility on a 0.9- acre tract of land downtown one block south of the Warren County Courthouse. That property is owned by the county and is presently used as a parking lot for county employees working at the courthouse. The site survey, which will cost $5,000, will study three possible locations. The commissioners did not determine the three locations for the study, but it is believed they will include the one behind the courthouse and a multi-acre site in Brune Business Park on South Highway 47. According to Sharon Schmitz, an architect with Treanor, the site survey will measure 27 separate criteria such as public accessibility, capability for expansion, parking, site topography and utilities. Schmitz has previously told the commissioners she would recommend a minimum lot size of 1.4 acres to adequately serve parking needs for the proposed building. Schmitz said the site survey "could be done in about a month." Treanor is already under contract with the county to design the building, which will have two stories and a walkout basement. The cost of the new facility is expected to run between $6-7 million. The commissioners voted unanimously to proceed with the site survey after rescinding the previous decision. When the vote on the building site was taken last year, it was 2-1. Former commissioners Randy Lewis and Jim Logan favored the downtown location, while current Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage opposed it without first conducting a location survey. Engelage went on to say if the site survey suggested the downtown location was the preferred site, "I'll make the motion to build it there myself." The current commissioners said they didn't feel they could start the project without a survey. "We've simply got to get this right," said Engelage. "This (location) will be a very emotional decision, so we need to look at every avenue." "There are a number of factors to consider," said Northern District Commissioner Dan Hampson. "I think a site survey would broaden my perspectives." Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner noted the administration building was "a long term commitment for the county. It would behoove us to look at all our options. "It will give us an unbiased opinion from an unbiased company," Kluesner added. The commissioners noted the site study, while important, would not bind them to one specific location. "The important thing," said Engelage, "is not to put up a white elephant (downtown) which we can't expand in five years. "We will certainly use it to help us make the best, most informed decision we can," he added. One of the prime arguments against moving the new building away from downtown is it would separate the various government departments which have always been in one location. "Yet we've heard of numerous instances (from Treanor) where other counties have done the same thing," pointed out Engelage. "And it always seems to work out just fine for them." Once the site survey is completed, the design phase of the administration building will start. That process will probably take around three months. Actual construction may be under way by the end of summer. Treanor officials said they hope to be able to have the building's foundation substantially completed before the onset of the winter of 2009-10. Treanor officials anticipate the building will take roughly 15 months to construct.