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Union County manager says RFP will explore options for former jail property, not approve sale
Summary
County Manager Oatman told the Board that a resolution would authorize an RFP to solicit proposals for the county's jail property, clarifying the step does not approve a sale and that demolition or renovation would carry large costs.
County Manager Oatman told the Board of County Commissioners that a resolution on the agenda would authorize the county to issue a request for proposals (RFP) to explore potential interest in the county's former jail property, but would not approve any sale.
Oatman said the RFP is an information-gathering step, not a final decision, and emphasized the county will include use limitations in the solicitation. "This resolution authorizes the county to issue a RFP, which is a request for proposal to put the jail property up for a potential sale. It does not approve any specific sale, nor does it finalize any decision," he said.
Oatman told commissioners the county will restrict any proposals that would continue correctional uses so that, consistent with state law, those uses could only house people involved in the criminal justice system. He said the county controls the RFP process even if it cannot control who submits proposals.
Oatman outlined projected costs tied to alternatives for the property: "Demolishing the facility will cost at least $50,000,000. Renovating for any other purpose will cost more than a hundred million." He said the RFP is intended to surface options that could yield "meaningful property tax relief for everyone, potentially exceeding a hundred million dollars," but he framed that as a hypothetical outcome to be evaluated later.
He repeated that multiple further steps, public input and reviews would be required before the county could approve any sale or reuse. No formal vote on an actual sale or on approving a buyer occurred during the agenda-setting session.
Ending: The county manager said the RFP would be the opening step in a longer process with transparency and public engagement. If proposals are received, commissioners indicated further public review and additional required approvals would follow before any transaction or redevelopment could proceed.
