The report and options to move forward will be held yet this summer by the county commission, said Michael Clarey, county administrator.
“Building a jail to accommodate the needs facing every county is just simply not cheap. The jail projects across Ohio prove this,” he said. “But, regardless, the serious need for a new jail still exists. So the goal of the work session is an open dialogue with the consultant as to their opinion on next steps.”
$100M price tag
Among topics will be if report recommendations are anywhere near feasible and could parts of the study/recommendations be implemented but not others. The consultants developed three options with a new maximum security jail along with new sheriff’s department and emergency management agency offices at that facility recommended.
The options ranged in estimated cost from around $100 million to $143.7 million.
“Our conundrum is if price tag shocks us, it is going to shock them (the community),” Duchak said. “We need to have another public work session then come up with a path forward. We are running out of room downtown and pipes bursting, etc., at the Incarceration Facility. It is going to need a lot of money in it.”
Assessment options
The consultants’ recommended option includes 200 new beds along with the reuse of the Incarceration Facility’s existing 240 minimum security beds, its lobby, laundry and food service areas among other offerings, said Matt Skarr of HDR.
The assessment team looked at the county’s incarceration needs for the next 25 years and worked to develop a solution to serve today’s changed jail population. There have been a sizeable increase in the number of females jailed and more people with mental health issues and substance abuse disorders, said David Bostwick of HDR.
The county, he said, also wanted to provide medical care where possible in house and to have the jails under one roof for staffing efficiencies.
The project would include $5.5 million in upgrades to the Incarceration Facility, which opened in 1999, The downtown Troy jail was built as part of the Safety Building in the early 1970s. It was described as obsolete.
County may ask voters to approve upping sales tax
County Commission President Ted Mercer said he thinks the three-member commission is ready to undertake a public education program to provide information, including tours of the downtown Troy jail and explain to them why a new jail is needed.
A funding request in the form of a temporary sales tax increase could be on the ballot as soon as November 2026.
“We could put it (funding request) on the ballot and see how the voters take it,” Mercer said.
The county did not specify how much a possible sales tax increase would be. Commissioners said they wanted more financial data first.
Another option that, if found feasible, might be pursued would be renovation of the downtown jail, but the Incarceration Facility also needs attention to infrastructure, said Commissioner Greg Simmons.
The can has been kicked down the road long enough, Simmons said.
“I don’t want to do that,” he said. “We definitely have to have a new jail. We need a maximum security jail downtown, but it is in deplorable condition. The people working there have done a good job. I think the commissioners and sheriff are on the same page. We need are going to do our best to try to come up with solutions. I am going to do whatever it takes to get this done.”
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com.
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