By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Ellis County could be looking for another location to house personnel during construction after Thomas More Prep-Marian officials expressed concern about some of the people that could occupy the makeshift courthouses at the Hadley Center.

Last week, the Ellis County Commission voted to begin negotiations to lease a portion of the Hadley Center to house courthouse and Law Enforcement Center staff during construction.

TMP already had agreed to lease the third floor of the Hadley Center to house its girls’ residency program for the upcoming school year after their existing dorm was deemed unusable.

Now, according to County Administrator Greg Sund, Dave Van Doren, co-owner of the Hadley Center, is asking the county to consider a different location for the courthouse.

Sund also said in his memo to commissioners Van Doren is going to write a “questionable character” clause in the county’s lease barring people they deem as dangerous from the building.

Those affected by the proposed change held a meeting Monday afternoon to discuss their options.

One of the possible options to come out of that meeting was the former NEW building. County officials were scheduled to tour the building Tuesday morning. County staff will also tour the former Sears building Tuesday morning following the NEW tour.

Commissioners will discuss possible options at a special meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the commission meeting room in the courthouse.