Cole County commissioners direct staff to pursue $14 million target for juvenile detention center

Cole County commissioners discussed options to reduce the cost of a planned juvenile detention center and directed staff and consultants to pursue facility design work aimed at a $14,000,000 construction target while continuing value-engineering efforts.

The discussion on new business opened with staff and design-team representatives reviewing three program-driven cost options: an original-build target of about $15.8 million, a partially value-engineered option near $14 million, and a deep-scope reduction option around $12.5 million that would remove significant program elements and administrative space. Commissioners and staff weighed trade-offs including reducing cell count, shrinking day/activity spaces, eliminating the indoor classroom area, and relocating some administrative functions off-site.

Why it matters: The county’s existing juvenile facility is older and described by commissioners and staff as inadequate for current needs. The commission’s choice of a target budget determines which program elements could be included, what will need to be deferred or relocated, and how soon the project can proceed given inflation, material lead times and possible state funding.

Most significant choices and constraints

- Three budget/program options: roughly $15.8 million (full program as currently designed), about $14 million (reduced square footage and value engineering), and $12.5 million (substantial program cuts and relocation of admin functions). Staff said the $12.5 million number would require eliminating roughly one-third of the current program and moving some administrative wings off-site.

- Program cuts discussed as ways to reach lower targets included reducing the cell count (from eight toward six), tightening per-cell and day-space square footage, halving the indoor large-muscle/exercise space, and removing an indoor “outdoor classroom” area. Staff estimated discrete savings tied to those moves: removing the outdoor classroom ~ $250,000; converting the gym to a half court ~ $100,000; reducing two cells ~ $600,000–$650,000; and other value-engineering and construction-system changes could together save about $800,000 to $1.8 million depending on the mix of measures.

- Construction-type and per-square-foot differences matter: presenters said secure/detention areas (the “hard side”) are the most expensive—above $600 per square foot in current estimates—while administrative/nonsecure areas fall into the $200–$400-per-square-foot range. Some system changes (for example, pre-engineered metal building components on the nonsecure side) were considered but staff said switching construction types alone would not achieve the deepest reductions without program cuts.

Funding and timing

Commissioners noted possible state funding that could change the calculus: staff and a county delegation had raised the project while meeting with legislative offices about House Bill 12, which county representatives said directs funds toward multi-county juvenile facilities and currently excludes single-circuit counties like Cole County. Commissioners asked how quickly a legislative funding change could be known; staff said action in the legislature could appear before the May 15 timeframe mentioned and that any funding that survives both houses and a governor’s signature would apply to the fiscal year beginning July 1. Commissioners cautioned not to delay design work because material availability and inflation were already affecting costs.

Operations and sheriff concerns

Sheriff’s office interests were discussed: certified juveniles under a recently changed state statute must be held until they are 18, and the sheriff’s office explained that when juveniles must be held in other counties the county still bears transport and per-diem costs. Commissioners and staff said detention equipment and cell fit-out represent substantial up-front costs; staff emphasized each cell includes specialized detention equipment totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars across the secure area.

Next steps and practical direction

Commissioners broadly signaled support for pursuing the $14 million option as a working maximum and asked the design and cost teams to refine plans and value-engineering lists to fit that target. Staff said they would rework plans with the architect and cost estimator, tally specific value-engineering items in a spreadsheet, and return to the commission with updated options and cost impacts. Design and construction duration was described as roughly 15 months once the project is approved; staff also warned of long lead times for some materials and that the longer the county waits the higher costs may climb.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to stand in recess until 4:30 p.m.: motion was made and seconded; chair called for the vote and the motion carried by voice (no roll-call tally provided in the transcript).

Ending

Staff and the design team will reconvene with the commission and with county representatives to present refined options tied to the $14 million target and to report any substantive developments on potential state funding. The commission emphasized that final approval would await a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) or other formal contract action.