HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — Due to inflation, Houston County Commissioners had to put a stop to a project over two years in the works.

In 2020, the Houston County Commission received funds from the CARES Grant, which they planned to use to build a facility to house personal protective and EMA equipment.

However, with the construction and material costs skyrocketing the bids on that facility came in almost 300% over budget. During Monday’s commissioner’s meeting, commissioners chose not to budget the additional $400,000 and reject the bid.

According to Houston County Chairman Mark Culver, instead, they plan to house that equipment in a Homeland Security Building they have planned on Ennis and Burdeshaw.

The county still has the CARES Grant and plans to use those funds towards another project.

“We got to move all the equipment from out of the Farm Center because we have a contract with the city on the Farm Center,” Culver said. “We got to build a building for that, we are hoping to add just enough space to there for this building.”

Culver said the idea for this facility came about during the peak of the pandemic since Houston County is the regional stockpile for 10 surrounding counties in cases of emergencies.