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Legislators debate alternatives after $120 million jail needs assessment; planning staff may assist next steps
Summary
Following a presentation of a draft jail needs assessment, Chautauqua County legislators discussed options — including full replacement, renovation, and alternative site or programmatic approaches — and asked staff to explore next-step costs and planning support before committing to a design path.
Chairman Shagnon, chair of the Chautauqua County Legislature’s Audit and Control Committee, opened a broad discussion on June 20, 2025 about next steps after a draft jail needs assessment presentation that produced a large cost estimate for replacement or major reconstruction.
"Where do we go from here? Wherever we go from here is gonna cost money," Chairman Shagnon told the committee, summarizing the problem and asking legislators whether to proceed to detailed design or to gather more analysis on alternatives and costs.
The committee has met repeatedly with consultants LaBella Associates and Justice Planners to develop an assessment of bed needs and facility conditions. The assessment presented options — including a full replacement that committee members said produced a headline figure in the range of roughly $120 million — and also considered operating needs, staffing and inmate flow. Committee members…
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