THE WOODBURY COUNTY JAIL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER BUILDING HAS BEEN DETERIORATING FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND THE TIME IS DRAWING NEARER WHEN THE FACILITY MAY BECOME UNABLE TO HOUSE INMATES.
FOR STARTERS, CONSULTING ENGINEER CORY METZGER SAYS THE AIR HANDLERS TO HEAT AND COOL THE BUILDING SINCE 1987 HAVE AGED OUT, AND TO REPLACE THEM WOULD COST AROUND FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT WOULD CAUSE INMATES TO BE REMOVED OUT OF THE CROWDED JAIL TO OTHER FACILITIES:
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METZGER AND COUNTY BUILDING SERVICES DIRECTOR KENNY SCHMITZ ESTIMATE BETWEEN $26 TO 40 MILLION DOLLARS WOULD BE NEEDED TO FIX ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BUILDING:
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SUPERVISORS MATTHEW UNG AND JEREMY TAYLOR ATTENDED THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER MEETING AND HEARD A PROPOSAL TO MOVE THE L-E-C AND JAIL AND TO THE OLD PRAIRIE HILLS SITE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN.
THERE’S ROOM TO EXPAND THE JAIL THERE, SOMETHING THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE CURRENT DOWNTOWN SITE.
TAYLOR SAYS COST ESTIMATES THERE COULD BE IN THE 45-MILLION DOLLAR RANGE:
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ONE REVENUE SOURCE WOULD BE HOUSING MORE FEDERAL PRISONERS.
THE COUNTY WOULD RECEIVE AROUND $68 DOLLARS A DAY PER PRISONER AND WOULD NEED TO HOLD 168 OF THEM TO REACH A BREAK EVEN POINT ON A NEW FACILITY.
TWO BOND ISSUES FOR A NEW JAIL IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WERE SOUNDLY REJECTED BY VOTERS.
SEVERAL IDEAS WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE FULL WOODBURY COUNTY BOARD IN WEEKS TO COME TO DEAL WITH THE AGING FACILITY.
