Vigo County Council approves letter to accompany grant for proposed 260‑bed work‑release facility

The Vigo County Council voted to approve a letter to be submitted with a grant application for a proposed roughly 260‑bed work‑release facility, Council members said at a regularly scheduled meeting (date not specified).

Council attorney Michael Wright said the letter, requested by Bill Watson, director of court services, would state that the county understands it would be responsible for operating costs if the state approves construction. Wright described the letter as a formality at this phase and said final appropriations would follow any award.

The facility is intended to expand capacity for mental‑health and substance‑use treatment for people now held in the Vigo County Jail. Watson told the council the jail currently has about 130 beds and is routinely full; female inmates have access to roughly 20 beds, and some women now wait three to six weeks for placement in treatment after sentencing. Watson said other people needing treatment can wait seven to 15 days at current capacity.

Watson said the proposed facility would be staffed and designed to increase treatment throughput and that a psychiatric nurse practitioner added about a year ago has helped speed assessments and connections to Medicaid and medication. He said the design reviewed by staff would allow the county to expand capacity while adding fewer correctional officers than an alternative design: about seven additional officers versus roughly 15 for another layout under consideration.

Wright also told the council that land for the facility has been acquired and that the county has taken other preliminary steps, but he cautioned the council that any binding decisions about construction and operation would come later if and when grant funding is awarded.

Wright and Watson said the grant review was delayed earlier after a change in the state agency leadership; Wright referenced the state mental‑health agency (DMHA) as the awarding authority and said the agency’s administrator change had slowed the process.

Motion and vote: Councilman Brad Anderson moved to approve the letter; Councilwoman Brenda Wilson seconded. A roll call produced unanimous ayes from the six council members present: Nancy Alsop, Vicky Wager, Steve Ellis, Brenda Wilson, Brad Anderson and David Thompson. The motion carried.

The meeting packet and council discussion also noted two pending lawsuits involving the county: one identified in the packet as Huerta (full caption not specified) relating to inmate population issues, and another stemming from a mandate issued by Vigo County judges in October 2024 about court staff classifications; Wright said the latter matter is set for mediation roughly 30 days from the meeting. Wright emphasized the litigation concerns official county actions and does not expose council members to personal liability.

The council also accepted internal appointments and other routine items later in the meeting.