Cochise County supervisors select existing Bisbee jail site as official location, 2-1

The Cochise County Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 to designate the existing jail site at 203 North Judd Drive in Bisbee as the official location for construction of a new county jail facility, the board announced at a special meeting in the Supervisor’s Hearing Room in Bisbee.

The vote came after public comment from local officials, jail staff and residents urging the board to keep the facility in Bisbee because of existing utilities, proximity to courts and transportation options. Supervisor Antonori, who led discussion of next steps, told the meeting the county will continue analysis but said, “it will likely be in Bisbee, but it may be somewhere else in Bisbee.”

Why this matters: The board agreed to place a half-cent sales tax proposition on the November ballot to fund the project; voters’ approval of that measure will determine whether the county can issue bonds to pay for construction. County staff said they are preparing a publicity pamphlet and will include estimated costs and pro/con arguments; County staff set an August 6 deadline for submission of pro and con letters for that pamphlet.

The meeting opened with supervisors and staff explaining the current process. County Recorder Cloud explained that the publicity pamphlet will be mailed to every household with a registered voter and that the county is accepting signed pro and con statements for the voters’ pamphlet. County Administrator Gellman reminded the public of the August 6 deadline for pro/con arguments and said submissions must meet the county’s published criteria.

Dozens of residents and officials spoke in favor of keeping the jail in Bisbee. Ken Budge, mayor of the City of Bisbee, told the board the expert study the county hired recommended the existing county seat location and said Bisbee’s existing utilities and municipal services reduce long‑term costs. “City of Bisbee fully concurs with their recommendations that it remained in Bisbee,” Budge said.

Multiple commenters and jail staff highlighted operational and human-service concerns tied to a more remote site. Commander Bradshaw, representing the sheriff’s office, said 45% of the jail’s current employees live in Douglas and that the jail conducts more than 4,000 transports a year; he warned that adding travel time for transports would raise operating costs. Selah Baltieras, who identified herself as food service director for the jail, said a longer commute would add roughly 24 minutes each way for some employees.

Speakers also pointed to existing transportation links in Bisbee — local bus routes and the Cochise Connection regional service — that they said aid people released from custody and family members visiting inmates. Several speakers, including the city manager and a local architect, urged the board to invest in remodeling and expanding the current site so dollars go toward the facility itself rather than duplicating utilities and court infrastructure at a new remote site.

Board discussion combined operational concerns and fiscal caution. Several supervisors said they want more detailed cost and site-preparation estimates before final design decisions are made. One supervisor asked county project staff to provide a more detailed cost‑benefit analysis, including utility extension and long‑term maintenance costs, and to schedule a follow-up work session to review that information prior to finalizing any construction contract. The board majority nevertheless approved the motion to designate 203 North Judd Drive as the official site; the motion passed with two supervisors in favor and one opposed.

Formal action recorded:

- Motion approved to select the existing jail site at 203 North Judd Drive, Bisbee, Arizona, as the official location for construction of the new county jail facility. Vote tally: 2 yes, 1 no; outcome: approved.

Next steps: Staff said they will complete site analyses, engage an architect and buyer’s agent, and supply refined cost estimates for the publicity pamphlet ahead of the November election. The board scheduled a related work session for July 15 to discuss committee appointments and to continue project planning.

The meeting record includes a tally of public support recorded during the session: 13 people spoke in support (in person or by Teams), six people submitted written support without speaking, and 13 additional sign-ins were recorded as supporting the jail remaining in Bisbee, for 32 total supportive sign-ins recorded during the meeting.