The Carbon County Archives department may have a new home by the end of the year.

The county commissioners last week approved a proposal from Liberty Engineering Inc. for professional engineering services to provide HVAC and electrical drawings and specifications for the archives renovation project at a quoted price of $6,800 plus reimbursable expenses when incurred.Carbon County purchased the new building, located at 9 W. Fourth St., Jim Thorpe, the former Dollar & More store, for $95,000 in September. The building was held in the estate of Mark Rimsky.Last May, the county initially approved a letter of intent to purchase the 4,000-square-foot property, but had been eyeing it since last February after a prior option for additional office space fell threw.A number of county departments are quickly outgrowing their space and room at the existing complexes in the courthouse, annex and Susquehanna Street building are becoming cramped.Commissioners' Chairman Wayne Nothstein said Thursday that the county is pretty well set on the floor layout and is beginning to move forward with determining what is needed for the renovations.Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard said he believes the Fourth Street building will be a great addition for the county once renovations are completed.After it is ready, Nothstein said the archives department will be occupying it. That department was selected to move into the new building because of the condition of the current structure it is located in.Located next to the 76 Susquehanna Street parking area across from the Hooven building, the current building's roof has had a number of issues over the years, causing major leaks and could damage the equipment and records kept there.Currently, when rain is forecast, employees must cover all machines and records in plastic to protect things.In addition, it shares the space with the maintenance department so concerns have been raised with regards to health, liabilities and smells from gas and fuel used in maintenance vehicles.Additional discussions have taken place about possibly constructing a maintenance garage near where the old Route 903 bridge is located. No details have been formally announced if this will become a reality.Once archives moves out of the current building, the future of that building then becomes uncertain.The commissioners joked when asked what will happen to the current building that its next tenant would be a wrecking ball.Commissioner William O'Gurek said that the commissioners believe the building needs to be demolished."I would like to take it down and build something there," he said, noting the space limitations in downtown Jim Thorpe. "I would like to use that space as much as possible, even if it means going up."That would provide additional options for county departments that need more space.In other matters, Nothstein wanted to clarify why Lansford would receive 25 percent of the sale if the county railroad commission sells its railroad."Lansford was the applicant for the grant at that time," he said. "They were the only depressed area eligible to apply for that grant to keep the railroad operating in Carbon County."Through that grant, the agreement of 25 percent of the sale of the railroad would go back to Lansford was created.