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Commissioners move to appoint redevelopment members as jail site swap advances; county considers selling storage units
Summary
The commissioners signaled movement on a jail property swap with the Redevelopment Commission and said the storage units the county owns—purchased for the jail project—may be sold after a June financial review.
Owen County commissioners said they will appoint members to the Redevelopment Commission to advance a property swap tied to a proposed jail project and indicated the county may sell storage units it bought as interim revenue sources.
Commissioner: "We bought that property for the sole purpose of building the jail there," commissioners said, explaining the county purchased storage units on the property in 2017–2019 as interim use. Commissioners said they are not in the storage‑unit business and will review finances through June before deciding whether to sell the units.
Redevelopment Commission appointment: Commissioners appointed Sam Hobbs to the Redevelopment Commission by a 2‑0 vote and said they will ask Craig Kaufman and others to organize a meeting next week to move forward with swapping property for the jail. Commissioners said they have been “kicking the can down the road for 15 years” and want to proceed.
Storage units: County officials said income from the storage units has been placed in a line item for the sheriff for the new jail project. Commissioners said some storage units located on county property may be retained if occupied by sheriff/EMS needs, but several units could be marketed for sale; they invited interested buyers to contact county staff for tours.
Why it matters: The property swap and Redevelopment Commission action are steps toward siting a new county jail. The possible sale of storage units would shift county property holdings and funding sources tied to the jail project.
Next steps: Commissioners and Redevelopment Commission leadership plan to meet next week and begin formal property swap discussions; staff will assess storage‑unit finances and advertise availability if a sale is authorized.
