Bids are expected to go out soon to build Liberty County’s next health department.

Hinesville City Council members gave their approval to the building’s design at their April 4 meeting. County commissioners have 6.12 acres of land off Highway 84 and Layton Street where the new health department will be built.

County Administrator Joey Brown said the primary ingress and egress for the new building will be off Highway 84, with a secondary in and out off Layton.

“The desire for us is to cause as little disruption to the residential sector as possible,” he said.

The plans call for a 44,000 square foot building with about 120 parking spaces. There also will be 12 spots for handicapped parking.

The new health department building, which is expected to take about a year to build, will house women’s health services, WIC, environmental health and the CARE center.

Voters approved funding for the new health department with the passage of the special purpose local option sales tax extension.

Brown said what to do with the current health department, which is about 33,000 square feet and has been in use since 1980, has not been determined.