Aug. 24--SEBRING -- They say you can't fight city hall, but if you're Highlands County, you may be able to buy it some day, if the price is right.

The acquisition of the Sebring City Hall property came up once again on Tuesday when the county commission was making its decision about where it would build space for the Office of Public Defender 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida.

The public defender's office is currently located in a trailer at 510 Fernleaf Ave., next to the courthouse, stuffing in six attorneys and four support-staff persons.

Prior to its 4-1 vote to build the elected Public Defender J. Marion Moorman a new building, Highlands County Commissioner Jeff Carlson asked if anyone had considered the City Hall property.

The county is relocating, looking for space for the supervisor of elections, Carlson said, more space for the clerk and "all these other things" and end up with county buildings scattered around.

"Has anybody talked to the city about City Hall property in this regard?" he asked. "I mean here's a 9,000-plus square-foot facility that's a few hundred feet from the courthouse, and it's my understanding that the city's looking at other properties."

County Administrator Michael Wright said he and City Administrator Scott Noethlich had briefly touched on the subject that morning.

"To be very honest with you I didn't give it a lot of thought because I'm looking at $400,000, $500,000 here and as he pointed out to me I think the city wants a whole lot more money than that for their building," said Wright.

"I don't think we know until we go to the city council and ask them and get an appraisal on it, and...," said Carlson.

"Plus you're also dealing -- if I remember that building correctly when the sheriff looked that building's 40 -- 50 years old," Wright interrupted. "The land I think is much more valuable than the structure and it's an excellent piece of land for the county to own one day. Yeah, I don't disagree with that, but I think the values the land, not the building."

Carlson also suggested the creation of a facilities master plan.

"It would seem prudent to have a plan for 5, 10, 20 years out on what we envision this campus, if you will, to look like and not done in pieces, part by the sheriff's department, part by Mr. Flowers, or part by the supervisor of elections, or the clerks or anyone else, and try to consolidate it all in one place.