After hearing frustrations from local residents, the Dekalb County Jail Committee wants to revisit all possible solutions to the county’s jail problem.
Jail Committee Chairman Larry Green said the committee had looked at renovating the current jail a year and a half ago. He said he hopes this time around it will be a cheaper option than building a new jail.
“We’re gonna go back and consider some of those things,” Green said. “Maybe look into what we can do at our current location before we move forward with the purchasing of a new property, so we are gonna move probably slower than what we were moving but I think we are still moving forward and still making some progress toward remedying our situation.”
The county commission tabled a decision on a location for a new jail last week after some new properties became available late in the decision process. Green said though it is frustrating to lengthen the timeline for a decision officials understand how big of an expenditure this would be for the county.
“I think we just have to get really detailed in our information gathering and just see if we can cover all the basis and make sure we know exactly what we are doing,” Green said. “Obviously, it is a big decision for a county our size. You’re looking at probably a $35 million – $45 million expenditure which for some counties that’s no big deal. They wouldn’t blink an eye and go at it but in a county our size we do have to look at what it cost.”
Green said most of the public had concerns with some of the proposed locations of the jail being in downtown Smithville. Green said the jail must be in Smithville.
“State law requires that the sheriff’s office has to be in the city limits of the county seat,” Green said. “So we have to keep it there. We also have to keep the courthouse in the city limits of the county seat. so we can’t just go out into the county and buy a piece of property and put everything out there.”
Green said the jail committee has not scheduled the next meeting. Green said the county commission will further discuss the jail at a work session and commission meeting in late April.
