Commissioners returned to the Monroe County Council on Monday to press for clear direction after the council denied an appropriation for the North Park property, a site the county had selected last year for a new justice center.

Commissioner Thomas told the council the county signed a 2024 purchase agreement for North Park and that, “to date, we have spent over $4,000,000 on design work for North Park and property reports and surveys for other locations.” Commissioners said other candidate sites presented major remediation or timing challenges and asked the council to answer five specific questions they will email to members so staff can report back before a Jan. 15 check-in tied to the settlement oversight process.

Why it matters: The council’s vote to withhold appropriation in recent weeks left the project without an approved funding path, and commissioners said stepping back will add at least two years to completion. Commissioners urged the council to either extend the North Park purchase agreement or provide clear policy guidance — especially about whether to pursue a collocated, single-floor facility, which consultants said drives costs and site suitability.

Council members said budget uncertainty after state legislation and competing county priorities make any new commitment difficult. Councilor Henry suggested the council could adopt a resolution that states the body’s risk tolerance — a fiscal envelope and priorities that would guide whether to fund a new justice center — and then let the budget process drive project scope.

Public input and next steps: During public comment, Lynn Coin asked how county taxpayers had come to fund extensive site evaluation work for a project some residents now consider 'dead on arrival.' County staff also told council members a tour of the current jail with outside settlement monitor Ken Falk is scheduled for Nov. 25, an event intended to give council members a shared factual baseline.

What’s next: Commissioners asked for the council’s written responses to their five questions and suggested a joint meeting or a short series of special meetings to resolve points of contention. Council members signaled willingness to continue discussion, and some proposed drafting a resolution that outlines budget limits, essential program elements and options for design and siting before committing to another purchase or appropriation.