Montgomery County Finalizes $210,000 Purchase of 127 N. Main Street for Court Services

Montgomery County Board Meeting | March 10, 2026

Article Summary: After weeks of tense negotiations and public complaints from the seller’s real estate agent, the Montgomery County Board held a special meeting to finalize the $210,000 purchase of a commercial property in Hillsboro.

127 N. Main Street Property Acquisition Key Points:

• The Board held a special meeting on March 18 to approve the $210,000 purchase of 127 N. Main Street in Hillsboro.

• The building will be utilized by the Drug/Recovery Court, the 708 Board, and for other court-related needs.

• The approval followed a closed session at the March 10 regular meeting where the board authorized a final offer contingent on an independent inspection.

• The seller’s real estate agent had previously accused the county of a lack of transparency during the negotiation process.

The Montgomery County Board on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, officially authorized the $210,000 purchase of a commercial property located at 127 N. Main Street in Hillsboro during a specially called meeting.

The property is slated to be used by the Drug/Recovery Court, the 708 Board, and to fulfill other court-related space needs.

The final authorization by County Board Chairman Doug Donaldson concluded a contentious negotiation period that spilled into public view earlier in the month.

During the March 3 Buildings & Grounds Committee meeting, Brandi Lentz of MCR Realty Professionals—representing the owners of the property—addressed the committee to express her dissatisfaction with the county’s handling of the negotiations. Lentz accused the county of a lack of transparency, questioning why the county had submitted three separate offers below the property’s assessed value. She stated that the county’s process had restricted other offers and requested that a new board member be assigned to the negotiations due to prior disagreements with the committee chair.

Despite the friction, the full County Board entered into a closed session during their regular meeting on March 10 to discuss the real estate transaction. Upon returning to open session, the Board voted unanimously to submit a “final offer” for the 127 N. Main Street property, making the offer entirely contingent on the results of an independent inspection paid for at the county’s expense.

Eight days later, on March 18, the Board convened the special meeting to finalize the deal. After a brief 13-minute closed session, Chairman Donaldson and Board Member Ethan Murzynski motioned to approve the purchase at the agreed-upon $210,000 price point.

Vice Chair Patty Whitworth briefly asked about the status of the building’s inspection before the board moved into the closed session. Upon returning to open session, the board voted unanimously to authorize the County Board Chairman as the signatory for the closing.