Public Meetings to Reveal Details of $6.8 Million Jail
Public Meetings to Reveal
Details of $6.8 Million Jail
Over the span of years, Grant County officials have spent much time and energy studying the need to renovate, upgrade or replace the existing detention center. A citizen jail committee was also formed to evaluate the need and options. That group reported to the Grant County Commission recently, concluding with a recommendation that building a new facility would be a better option than renovating the existing space.
The cost of the proposed new jail is $6.8 million, with $6 million to be financed through the issuance of a general obligation bond. Even though officials recommend the new construction, it is the registered voters of Grant County who will decide whether the financing mechanism will be approved.
The question will be on the ballot during the primary election on Tuesday, June 4. To help assure that all citizens’ questions have been answered and concerns have been addressed, there will be four public informational meetings in the coming weeks.
“We are really encouraging the public to attend the meetings and learn about the proposed project and also about the present condition of the current jail facility,” explained Karen Layher, admin-
istrator/commission assistant.
The meetings will be Monday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the New Township Hall, 15050 455th Avenue, Summit; Tuesday, April 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the Revillo Community Center, 310 N. 2nd Avenue, Revillo; Monday, April 22, 6:30 p.m. at the Milbank Visitor Center community room, 1001 E. 4th Avenue, Milbank, and Tuesday, April 23, 6:30 p.m., at the Big Stone City Office community room, 400 Washington Street, Big Stone City.
The meetings are spaced throughout the county in an attempt to improve convenience for the residents to have the opportunity to attend, take in information about the existing facility, see plans for the proposed jail and ask questions.
“These meetings are for the public and we encourage everyone to attend,” Layher noted. Each meeting will include a presentation, complete with diagrams and the architectural drawings.
Bill Tostenson, chairman of the commission, and Kevin Owen, Grant County sheriff, will lead the meetings. Also having roles in the presentation will be Adam Kuehl, a representative of HMN Architects of Overland Park, KS, Corey Johnson of GA Johnson Construction and Tom Grimmond, senior vice president of Colliers Securities. If the bond is approved by the voters, it is Collliers Securities that will handle the paperwork for the financing. Grimmond will be able to address questions about how the bond will impact tax liability for property owners. Members of the citizen jail committee will also be present.
Layher and most of the members of the commission will attend at least some of the meetings. There is a possibility of a quorum being present, but no business will be conducted even if that occurs.
“We cannot stress enough that we want people to come with their questions, so that we can provide the information before we get to election day,” Layher noted. Earlier this year, the commission passed a resolution and sent the question of issuance of the $6 million general obligation bond to a vote of the residents. The question that will be on the ballot during the primary election on June 4 will require a simple majority for approval.
If the financing is approved by the voters, the commission will take further action to begin the project.
The proposed location for the new construction is south of the Grant County courthouse parking lot, on the northeast corner of the park, adjacent to Detention Street. The gazebo/stage that is in Courthouse Park would need to be moved.
The proposed facility would be a single-story structure with concrete slab construction for its exterior. Encompassing approximately 10,000 square feet, the facility is designed to maximize security and safety of inmates, staff and the public.
The new building would provide the county with a 20-bed jail facility, laid out in a secure manner, Layher noted. Within its footprint, there would be administrative, training and office space, jail pods with day rooms for inmate detention, an interior recreation yard with a retractable roof, kitchen and laundry areas as well as a secure sallyport for the intake of inmates.
As previously reported, the existing county jail building was constructed in 1972. Although the structure of the building itself is sound, remodeling it to meet modern standards is cost prohibitive in comparison to building a new jail, according to the representatives of HMN Architects and GA Construction.
~Holli Seehafer
