MOHAVE COUNTY – The senior member of the Mohave County Board of Supervisors is proposing a new government facility about 20 miles north of Lake Havasu City. District 3 Supervisor Buster Johnson is exploring the possibility of constructing and operating a sheriff’s office substation in the vicinity of the Interstate 40-Highway 95 interchange.

In addition to sheriff’s office functions, the substation would also serve as home to animal control operations and a medical examiner’s office. Sheriff’s office substations in Mohave Valley and Lake Havasu, and the coroner’s office in Lake Havasu City would close under Johnson’s plan.

Johnson is asking supervisors during next Monday’s board meeting to support having staff conduct a cost analysis and other preliminary work on the project.  He said he believes the facility could be built for about $6 million.

Johnson believes the county will enjoy some improved operational efficiencies.

“By combining these facilities at a central location, we could see a savings in tax dollars,” Johnson said in a memo accompanying his proposal. “By going to a regional policing facility, we could again save money combining command staff duties. There can be no argument that these existing facilities are not up to a standard that our citizens expect.”

Selecting a specific site and identifying a funding mechanism are other considerations. Johnson said a one- to two-year extension of the quarter-cent sales tax scheduled to sunset at the end of December would be one way to raise the necessary capital.