A new senior center for the town of Somerville has moved a step close to becoming a reality thanks to action taken by the Morgan County Commission at its regular meeting on Tuesday.

The commission authorized the chairman to execute a contract with Nelson Engineering Associates Inc. to provide design and engineering for the building at a cost of $16,532.

The new center will be built on two adjoining lots north of the town’s historic courthouse and, if all goes according to plan, it will be completed within one year, according to District 2 Commissioner Randy Vest. The lots were acquired from the town of Somerville in exchange for the existing senior center lot and building, which is located south of the courthouse.

Vest said a decision to build a new senior center was made after considering the high cost of making needed repairs and renovations to the existing center.

“The old building was in bad repair and did not comply with the building code,” Vest pointed out.

He said the new center will have the same square footage as the recently completed Neel Senior Center but will be designed to conform to the courthouse’s architecture.

In another matter, the commission approved a proposed subdivision on Criscoe Circle in Valhermoso Springs.

County Engineer Greg Bodley said he received several phone calls from neighbors asking questions about the 11-lot subdivision.

“One of the callers raised the question of whether on not a portion of the 30-acre track was once used for burials?” he said. “A survey didn’t show a cemetery and the property owner said he had no knowledge of one being on the land.”

He said other callers questioned water pressure from a two-inch main and the potential for a drainage problem.