Coconino County supervisors approve $10 million bond for jail medical unit and intake remodel

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors on March 18 approved a $10 million limited‑revenue bond to finance a new medical housing unit and intake remodel at the county jail in Flagstaff, moving forward with a project sheriff and jail staff said is intended to better treat inmates with medical and behavioral health needs.

The new construction will create a 24‑bed medical housing unit with separate detox and infirmary areas, expanded nurse and clinician workspace, four safety cells, a recreation yard and improvements to the intake and release flow, sheriff’s staff said. County finance staff presented a plan to borrow half of an approximately $20 million project and pay the rest from jail‑district reserves.

County Manager Andy Bertelsen said staff sought a smaller financing amount to reduce interest costs after reviewing alternatives: “We found that we are indeed able to take that approach, and do that,” he said. Sheriff Paul Axland described the medical unit as a housing unit rather than a small clinic: “So instead of having inmates living in intake that are detoxing off of alcohol… they'll be able to be in one place in the medical unit,” Commander Matt Figueroa added.

Why it matters: Jail leaders told the board the jail population now includes more people with serious health problems and more alcohol‑detox cases than in prior decades, requiring more clinical space, separate yards and staff sight lines the existing six‑cell medical room cannot provide. County finance staff displayed a 20‑year debt schedule and said the bond would be repaid from jail‑district excise tax revenue plus required county maintenance‑of‑effort transfers.

Cost, financing and safeguards: County finance staff and outside financial advisor Piper Sandler explained the timetable to obtain ratings from bond analysts, expected pricing windows and the intent to price a $10 million issue (par amount may be slightly different when premium/fees are applied). Kathy Allen, commander of administrative services for the sheriff’s office, said the jail already contracts inmate medical services and that those operating costs are part of the existing contract with Wellpath.

Board action and next steps: The board first approved a resolution as the board of supervisors to enter an intergovernmental agreement and continuing disclosure undertaking tied to the borrowing; the board then convened as the jail‑district board of directors and approved the jail‑district resolution authorizing financing not to exceed $10 million. The board vote complied with the supermajority threshold applicable to the parcel and financing package.

Community questions and responses: In public comment and during board discussion, residents and supervisors raised water, traffic, public safety and cultural programming questions; jail staff said the project includes a six‑foot privacy fence adjacent to airport property, plans to refurbish the facility’s Hogan and sweat‑lodge programming (paused for COVID), and that any outside medical transports would continue to be used when higher care is required. Commander Figueroa said the project footprint is adjacent to the existing intake and that the project will reduce congestion by separating in‑processing, transports and releases.

What’s next: Bond pricing and closing steps will follow the county’s published timetable; staff said they would return with implementation details and continue coordination with ADOT for any required encroachment/traffic improvements tied to the project.