Flathead County’s 4-H and Extension Service programs finally will have a place to call home.

The two programs will move into a portion of the upper floor of the former State Farm Insurance building south of the county courthouse complex. The county purchased the building for $500,000 earlier this year, drawing funding from the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes fund, money the county gets from the federal government to offset property tax losses due to nontaxable federal lands.

The commissioners recently determined how to use the space.

The 4-H and Montana State University Extension Service programs have been operating in tight temporary quarters at the City-County Health Department since the standalone annex building east of the main courthouse was demolished about a year and a half ago.

Extension Agent Pat McGlynn, 4-H and Youth Development Agent Tammy Walker, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education Assistant Nancy Roberts and two part-time support staffers will relocate to the new space.

The Medicare/Medicaid portion of the Health Department also will relocate to the upper floor of the State Farm building, adding nine employees to the new space.

On the lower level, a private accounting office will remain as a tenant in the southeast corner, County Administrator Mike Pence said. A portion of the lower level will accommodate a meeting room and some space will be left empty for now.

The commissioners on Thursday voted to spend up to $50,266 to paint and carpet the interior, install locks and complete concrete work. The improvements will cost much less than originally anticipated, Pence said.

“After more research we found out the ADA [Americans With Disabilities Act] requirements were less than anticipated,” he said. “Our plan is to utilize the building for a good number of years.”

He expects the renovations to be done by the end of the year.

An official name for the new county building has not been decided yet, though during informal discussion among the commissioners it was suggested that Courthouse South could be one possibility.

Yet to be decided is where a new Agency on Aging building will be constructed.

The commissioners have earmarked $2 million for the project for fiscal year 2015, planning to use $550,000 in payment-in-lieu-of-taxes revenue and possibly a Community Development Block Grant.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.