Fayette County’s new multi-purpose building for senior citizens is seeking a little help this week from the Fayette County Commission to deal with large utility bills when the building opens this fall.

County Executive Assistant Carol Chandler said project manager David Jaeger estimated the annual utility costs at $100,000 a year for the 22,000 square-foot building. But Fayette Senior Services Director Andy Carden said his organization can contribute up to $50,000 this year, thanks to a generous Fayette County resident.

“In 2005, we received a $1 million grant from a Fayette resident to help facilitate construction of the center. We can use the interest proceeds to help defray the costs of the utilities,” he said.

Carden added that Senior Services won’t know the exact cost of the utilities until the building is up and running.

“The estimate is one of the best guesses we have, but one of the variables will be the gas cost for the kitchen,” he said.

Carden proposes setting up a central cost center for the utility bills, with the county helping to pay for the costs. So far, the county has not included the costs in the budget that will be discussed Thursday night. Carden will address the issue, along with change orders for the facility, at Thursday’s meeting.

The change orders total just over $35,000 and include $14,000 for covering the multi-purpose room with wood floors, instead of carpeting.

Funding for the upgrades would come from the $1 million grant.

“This is the first time we would have to use the grant and this would upgrade the facility and provide value to the building,” he said.

The Senior Center is adjacent to the Fayette County Justice Center off Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard in Fayetteville.

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