Owen County commissioners amend land purchase after survey finds extra acre; public raises realtor conflict concerns

Owen County commissioners on July 1 approved an amendment to a land purchase agreement for a proposed new jail after a survey completed June 18 showed 18.003 acres, not the 17 acres previously estimated. The change raised the purchase price from the advertised total to $1,620,270 (priced at $90,000 per acre), and the board voted to sign the amendment by voice vote.

The decision followed an extended public comment period during which residents questioned the price per acre and the optics of the same real-estate agent representing both the property seller and the county as buyer. “I have a problem with the fact that we have the same realtor representing the seller as the buyer,” said Denise, a county resident and taxpayer, adding that she had consulted the Indiana Association of Realtors and the attorney general’s office about “divided loyalty.”

The county attorney responded that, under Indiana law, a broker can represent both buyer and seller and that the conflict-of-interest statute, in his view, did not apply to the situation as presented. He also noted two independent appraisals that supported the price: one at $1,800,000 and another at $1,650,000.

Speakers at the meeting also raised broader financial concerns about the jail project, citing earlier cost estimates of roughly $37–$38 million and warning that bond rates higher than anticipated would add millions to the overall price tag. One resident said a 1.5–3 percentage-point difference in bond cost could add an estimated $14 million in interest over the life of the bonds. Commissioners and staff said the county intends to post a complete packet — including the survey, appraisals, environmental study and related documents — on the county website by Monday so the public can review materials ahead of a joint meeting with the county council on July 13.

Other public questions at the meeting focused on ancillary matters tied to the site: whether the Town of Spencer’s verbal offer to install a sewer main would be documented (it had not been finalized in writing), whether the county could move the jail to the rear of the property to free up front acreage for future sale, and whether any county offices might be relocated to the site. Commissioners said those questions remain under consideration and emphasized that the July 13 meeting will be the venue for fuller discussion with the council.

The board characterized the July 13 joint session as the next procedural step. The amendment approved July 1 adjusts the purchase agreement only to reflect the correct acreage and the revised total price; no final construction contract or bond issuance was approved at the meeting.