Cochise County supervisors discuss keeping new jail at existing Bisbee site amid debate over costs and access

Cochise County Jail District Board of Directors members met in a July 1 work session in Bisbee to discuss possible locations for a proposed new county jail and directed staff to arrange a public meeting with the option to vote on a site the same night.

The discussion focused on two top-ranked options from a May 2025 planning study: expanding at the existing Bisbee jail site and a roughly 63-acre parcel off Melody Lane adjacent to the county administrative complex. Project manager Phil Bridal summarized the purpose of the meeting: "The purpose of today's meeting is to provide an opportunity for the board to discuss the possible site location of a new jail," and reviewed the study findings and constraints.

Why it matters: county staff and consultants recommended sites partly on the basis of land ownership, utility availability and estimated site-preparation costs. Using land already owned by Cochise County at the existing Bisbee jail — about 65 acres in two county-owned parcels, staff said — avoids land acquisition and reduces estimated utility and construction costs. By contrast, consultants estimated site utility costs of roughly $2 million for the existing Bisbee location, about $7 million for Sierra Vista (which has been removed from consideration because of a discovered conservation easement), and $14–15 million for the Tombstone site because of the need to build water, sewer and long utility extensions.

Staff and consultants Phil Bridal, identified as the project manager, said the planning study and a blocking diagram supplied a high-level estimate of the land mass needed for the facility but cautioned that "that isn't how it would look in the future" once design teams optimize square footage during detailed design. Bridal also noted advantages of the existing Bisbee site: existing access roads, utilities and several buildings — including a training center and firing range — that could potentially be reused to reduce costs.

Operational and workforce concerns Commander Bradshaw of the Cochise County Sheriff's Office told the board that the county already maintains two booking substations, in Wilcox and Sierra Vista, which allow local police to book inmates without long transports; he said those substations remain available if the county builds a new main facility elsewhere. Bradshaw summarized staff input gathered during the planning process and said he and the consultant interviewed more than a dozen jail personnel; "there was a desire to keep it in BISB at the current location," he said.

Several supervisors voiced concerns about travel times for residents, families and officers if the jail moved farther from population centers. One supervisor urged the board not to "start from scratch" at a new remote site because of the additional infrastructure, workforce relocation and time required; that speaker said, "I just think that starting from scratch tomorrow is a big mistake financially and many other ways also." Supporters of keeping the site in Bisbee pointed to existing sewer, water, training and administrative infrastructure and to the facility's current workforce, which the board discussed as concentrated in nearby communities (a staff summary given in the meeting noted that a plurality of staff live in Douglas). Opponents argued the county should consider future growth corridors (notably Benson, Douglas and Sierra Vista) and whether locating the jail closer to those centers would better serve the county long term.

Tombstone and state land options Bridal reviewed the Tombstone option (state trust land near State Route 80 and Davis Road, near the airport) and noted the site lacks most utilities and would require on-site sewer treatment, a new water system, and multi-mile extensions for power and gas; those needs drove the higher cost estimate. He also noted that acquiring state trust land could be done either by purchase or by long-term lease through the Arizona State Land Department, which sometimes prefers lease arrangements that provide steady revenue to the state trust.

Funding, schedule and next steps Board members referenced the project budget range discussed in prior planning — roughly $120 million to $140 million — and the time pressure to present a site for the planned election. Board members asked for more detailed, side-by-side cost and schedule comparisons if the board were to pursue a location that requires substantial acquisition or utility extensions. Bridal warned that acquisition from multiple private owners and any compulsory-acquisition proceedings would add both time and risk to the project schedule.

Public input and board direction The board agreed to schedule a special meeting to solicit public input on locations and to allow the board to place a site decision on the agenda for a vote that same night if desired. Board staff were asked to coordinate the meeting and to provide site utility maps for Bisbee and Tombstone for review. The board also noted an upcoming July meeting to consider contracting an owner's representative; staff confirmed an agenda item on the July 23 meeting to address that procurement.

Ending Board members said they want to present voters with clearer site information before any election on jail funding, and staff will return with utility maps, cost comparisons and a date for the public meeting that the board requested.