Flagler County Sheriff's Office seeks new space

PALM COAST, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a new home. Not one, but two moldy buildings are keeping the Sheriff’s Office from having a permanent place to call home.

“We cannot continue to serve the public in these kind of conditions,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.

The Sheriff’s Office was forced to move out of its operations center last year when mold was discovered and 37 employees reported getting sick. They were supposed to move into the old Sear’s building as a temporary solution, but last week county officials found mold there too. Now, the Sheriff’s Office is on the prowl for a new temporary space.

“As this has dragged on, it has hindered our operation. Our detectives are in a room that looks like you packed it full of sardines,” said Sheriff Staly.

Sheriff Staly has been checking out spaces to lease in the Palm Coast Utility Building, a shopping center on Old Kings Road and at the City Center in Palm Coast, but “none of them are perfect,” he said.

Of all the options he's looking at, the Sheriff says he likes an old bank building on North Old King's Road that he says would have the best return on investment for the taxpayers.

“Take the old bank building that the county already owns that they've already demo'd the interior and some of the exterior, finish it, let us move into there.”

The county will decide which spot is best for the temporary Sheriff’s Office.  Sheriff Staly just needs somewhere to call home.

“We’re basically homeless now. “

The county commissioners meet Monday night.