The future of Warren County’s 911 center has been a subject of debate for some time.

Will that answer retrofit the current location? Outfit an existing building? New construction?

The county commissioners discussed going after a grant Monday that would help lay out options.

Public Safety Director Ken McCorrison told the Times Observer the county partnered with a firm about six months ago to study options.

“None of the facilities they looked at were good,” he said.

All were rentals. None were move-in ready.

So McCorrison said the grant the commissioners are considering would explore the idea of a combined 911 center and emergency management facility that would also house a regional training center.

He explained that the training center would open up virtual offerings that aren’t available now.

Training is often complicated with requirements for minimum in-person participation levels for a course to be offered.

The grant the commissioners discussed Monday would see the county seeking $50,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission. It would be coupled with a $50,000 match from the county.

Commissioner Tricia Durbin said she’s concerned about spending $50,000 at this stage when the commissioners haven’t reviewed the study recommendations.

“All of them are going to have substantial costs,” Commissioner Ken Klakamp said, estimating the costs of moving the 911 center at “anywhere from $1.2 (million) upward.”

Durbin said she’d like to learn more about the options before committing to spending the $50,000.

“We just need to decide the direction we’re going to go,” she said.

The grant will be on Wednesday’s meeting agenda.

McCorrison explained that the study looked at all available commercial spaces. This effort would be more of an “apples to apples, what it would cost if we were going to build.”

He said there’s no time frame from his perspective on the project but noted that there are “serious maintenance issues” with the building that currently houses 911. “It’s not laid out as a good space. It would be very difficult to do a full-scale refurbish in an active 911 center.

“The commissioners need to have all options in front of them,” he added. “Right now, we’re looking at grant funds to make that happen.”