• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Board removes vote on flooded homes purchases

JANESVILLE — Rock County officials hope to stick to plans to buy flood-damaged houses by the end of January.

At that point, it will be 18 months since record floods washed over the county.

The Rock County Board on Thursday removed a vote to authorize the purchase of two flood-damaged homes in Rock and Fulton townships from its meeting agenda. The homes were valued at $185,000 and $190,000.

The houses were two of five that qualified for state and federal buyout money. The county in August learned it will get $786,934 for five houses.

The addresses are not public record until the purchases are finalized, Dave Somppi has said. Somppi is the community development manager for the county.

The five houses are in Rock, Janesville and Fulton townships. Two of the properties are contiguous, and all five are on less than 1 acre each, Somppi has said.

Two homeowners have agreed to negotiate with the county. The other three still are considering selling, said Steve Schraufnagel, acting planning director.

Rock County Corporation Counsel Jeff Kuglitsch recommended tabling the vote. He continues to research the county's potential liability, if any, on moving forward with the purchase and acquiring the property, he said.

He hopes to stay on track with the county's plan to buy the houses by the end of January, he said.