Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader says that his office has “just about” completed the move to the former GBI Crime Lab near Hays State Prison.  The sheriff told WZQZ News on Wednesday afternoon that all but his office and one administrative assistant had completed the transition.

The county purchased the building from the state with the intent of moving the sheriff’s office to the new facility, but the flood over the past weekend in downtown Summerville sped up the process.  Sheriff Schrader said, “We were already starting to move to the new building, but when we had flood waters standing in the sheriff’s office we knew we had to act fast.”

The sheriff said there was damage in the main office and the wooden floors, sheetrock and carpet are ruined.  The building has been next to the jail since the 1950’s.  At one time, the sheriff’s office was in the courthouse, and Chattooga County sheriff’s and their families lived in the building that is now used as a sheriff’s office.

The sheriff told WZQZ News that the cost to repair the building would be “substantial”.

The sheriff said that the biggest obstacle to overcome with the move at this time is getting internet at the old GBI Crime Lab building.