Halifax County authorizes negotiation with Moseley Architects for new detention center design; commissioners discuss costs and overcrowding

Halifax County commissioners on Dec. 2 authorized staff to negotiate with Moseley Architects for architectural and engineering services for a proposed new detention center.

Assistant County Manager Thomas Everett presented the qualifications-based selection process staff used and recommended Moseley Architects as the firm to negotiate with. Everett told the board that the recommended step was to negotiate a contract and then return to the board with a proposed contract and a funding request; staff would seek appropriation of funds before any contract would be executed.

Commissioners pressed staff about how the county would pay for the project. Everett and County Manager Dia Benton said staff would initially seek design-authorization funding likely from fund balance and would later present budget scenarios and funding options for…