Commissioners trade

Commissioners trade courthouse land for building

Young County Commissioners completed a landfor-building swap with the Graham Community Foundation that will give the county more office and storage space for its expanding staff.

The Commissioners voted 3-1, with Precinct 3 Commissioner Stacey Rogers opposed, to finalize the county’s trade of a plot of land beside the Young County Courthouse for the old Graham Leader printing building at 417 Second St. and an adjacent house at 403 Second St.

“The Graham Community Foundation is purchasing the [former Graham Leader print shop] and they’re going to trade it to the county for the corner lot on the square,” County Judge Win Graham said. “The County is going to purchase the [adjacent] house, which will give us that half of the block. The Foundation is going to donate that [lot] to the City of Graham so it’s a three-way trade.”

The County paid $118,000 for the house, which will eventually be torn down to make way for a county parking lot, he said. The County arranged the trade instead of purchasing the building outright “because it was $400,000 - it was expensive,” he said. “We got it for no money because we are going to trade for it.”

The Foundation is a charitable entity funded by private individuals for the benefit of the City of Graham, Judge Graham said. The Foundation will hand over ownership of the lot to Graham but will pay to develop a park with a concert stage, a driveway for food trucks, tables and benches, and space for local groups to hold fundraisers or events, he said.

Mr. Rogers opposed the transaction, saying he preferred for the County to keep the land and build a new office building on it.

The sale contract has been executed, Judge Graham said.