Heard County government officials broke ground Thursday for a $3 million public safety building financed by the county’s special purpose local option sales tax.

The 11,000-square-foot building on Ga. 100 will house Fire Administration Services, the 911 Center and the coroner’s offices. It will be on the site of the former Private Line Manufacturing Co., which has been demolished.

“I’m just absolutely thrilled,” said Coroner Kathy Buchanan, who’s in her fourth four-year term.

She had been sharing an office with code enforcement and will have her own digs for the first time. “It’s long been needed. It will make my job a whole lot easier.”

Commission Chairman June Jackson said the building will have a 60-seat multi-purpose room with audio and video equipment for all public safety training, and the 911 center will be completely up to date.”

“It’s going to be very nice,” Jackson said.

The general contractor, New South, is currently hiring subcontractors and expects to have the project completed by Nov. 1.

Voters approved the one-story brick building as part of a six-year, $41 million special sales tax that took effect in 2006. The revenue is being shared with the county’s three cities - Franklin, Ephesus and Centralhatchee.

The sales tax includes $3 million for water projects and also financed a $12 million recreation complex scheduled for completion on Monday. The 85-acre complex on Thompson Road has ball fields, concession stands and a new gymnasium.

A new courthouse annex is in the plans “if the money’s there,” Jackson said.