COLUMBUS -The Polk County Board of Commissioners decided earlier this month to donate materials from the home at 221 Park Street it owns to the Polk County High School Construction Technology Program.

During a county meeting in January, Polk County Manager Marche Pittman said the county put the house and two buildings up for sale on govdeals.com hoping for a bid to relocate the structures, but the county did not receive a bid. The buildings were part of the county’s land purchase to build a new law enforcement center, which is currently under construction.

Pittman told commissioners the high school asked if they could utilize some of the materials from the house for the program.

Polk County Attorney Jana Berg said the county acquired the land on Park Street and the house had historical features so the county thought it would be nice to have someone purchase it and move it. She said last year commissioners instructed the county manager to dispose of the structures as he saw fit.

Students from the school were scheduled to move materials from the house last Friday, Jan. 20. As of this week, several materials had been moved, including the windows in the house.

The county received a letter from Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene requesting the materials for the construction program.

“I wanted to let you know our construction technology program would be most appreciative of any donations of materials from the surplus property,” Greene said. “This would include windows, doors, building supplies, or other items that could be salvaged for use in the event the houses are not purchased as a whole. Specifically, our program director listed 24 windows, two doors and the tub and shower. The teacher and students would be willing to come and remove these items at your convenience. The extra materials would help the school district save money on its construction program projects going forward. It is also a teachable moment for students in removing these items without damaging them or the structure, and understanding the value of saving money by reusing or salvaging appropriate materials.”

Once the school is finished dismantling and taking materials needed for the construction program, the county will hire a contractor to demolish the buildings. The buildings include a two-story house and two outbuildings that were once used as the county’s first department of social services housing.

The county has begun construction on the new law enforcement center behind the Park Street property, which is also accessible from Hwy. 108, adjacent to Hatch Mill. The construction of the law enforcement center is expected to take approximately one year, with the finish date expected in December 2017.