State Auditor Adam Edelen is applauding a deal to transfer ownership of the Bluegrass Area Development District headquarters to the parent agency.

In March, Edelen’s office issued a blistering report on the Bluegrass Area Development District, or Bluegrass ADD, calling it a wayward “octopus” that permitted rampant spending without proper oversight.

One sticking point dealt with the ownership of the agency’s main office building, which it was leasing from the Bluegrass Industrial Foundation. Bluegrass ADD was paying more than $250,000 a year, despite the fact that $1.1 million of the $1.6 million purchase price of the building was funded through sources available to Bluegrass ADD.

"So we pushed, Auditor Edelen demanded, that the Area Development District take ownership of this property and this is what happened today. He's pleased that the ADD is righting this ship and this is a win for taxpayers," said Edelen spokesperson Stephenie Hoelscher.

The ADD executive committee tentatively approved the plan Tuesday.