The Butler County Conservation District Board hopes to acquire five acres for free from the county to build a new office.

The issue was discussed Monday during a Butler County Commissioners meeting. Commissioner Jim Eckstein, who is a conservation district director, supports the idea.

The conservation district office is at 122 McCune Drive at the Sunnyview Complex in Butler Township where the county owns about 170 acres.

“They’re in an old grain bin,” Eckstein said of the district’s office. “It has to be updated.”

Five acres could accommodate sample crops, a community garden and tree planting areas.

Eckstein added a similar land deal was struck with between Irene Stacy Community Mental Health and the Boy Scouts many years ago.

The conservation district has been housed at the Sunnyview Complex for more than 30 years. The space is too small, said Ron Fodor, district director.

“We’re in a building that is kind of limited in space,” Fodor said. “There was grain stored in this building at one time as a part of Sunnyview Farm.

“We’d just like a little more space so we can meet developers and people who are consultants and people who are working on their plans to develop in the county,” said Fodor who will retire at the end of the month, having served in the position for 34 years.

Commissioner Chairman Bill McCarrier said he wants more questions answered on such a deal before approving it.

He wants to have better understanding of liability, who would own a building and if the conservation district would want funding from the county, among other issues.

“It should’ve been replaced years and years ago,” McCarrier said, “but the conservation board is a little bit different from most boards.

“I want more answers before I want to make a commitment.”