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Council transfers correctional fund dollars to debt service; commissioners report jail on schedule and under hard‑cost target
Summary
The council approved a transfer from the correctional LIT fund into debt service and commissioners reported the jail construction remains on schedule and within its frozen hard-cost figure; officials discussed reserve options and possible early bond redemption.
The Allen County Council approved a transfer from the correctional locally‑imposed tax (LIT) fund into debt service on Wednesday and received an update from county commissioners on the new jail's cost and schedule.
Council approved a motion to transfer funds within Fund 132 (Correctional LIT) from jail construction to debt service; the motion carried unanimously. The transcript records the motion as: “I will motion for the transfer within correctional lit fund 132 of 111,000,000, $6,703 from jail correct jail construction to debt service.” The clerk recorded the motion as passed 7-0.
Commissioner Ron Turpin told the council the hard construction cost has been frozen at $267,000,000 and that soft costs were budgeted at $38,000,000. “So far, we are on schedule. The date is tentatively set at November 2027,” Turpin said. He added that even after the building is complete, staff and security work may postpone inmate moves until 2028.
Officials discussed how correctional LIT receipts and other local tax revenues will be used. Auditor Nick Jordan and other speakers said the county had banked a balance from prior correctional LIT collections and that the fund could be used to cover debt service in years when receipts fluctuate. Council members asked whether excess LIT receipts could be returned to taxpayers or used to pay down the bonds early; staff and commissioners said these are options to discuss with bond counsel and that some bonds permit early redemption.
At least one council member criticized earlier consultant estimates and suggested the county revisit assumptions used in planning. “Baker Tilly gave us a number that we would have to meet, and that number, and the requirements for what we use to fund the debt service for the jail, was wildly high,” a council member said; commissioners and staff responded that current estimates and the contractor's fixed hard-cost contracts have improved the county’s position.
Commissioner Turpin said the county plans open-house tours of the site for elected officials and judges and will provide periodic cost updates to the council. He reiterated that the commissioners are aiming to keep the project at or below the current targets.
