Commission ratifies infrastructure agreement with Cedar City for new county jail

The Iron County Commission ratified an interlocal agreement with Cedar City on Oct. 28 that bundles infrastructure elements for the county's planned new jail. The agreement consolidates multiple expected arrangements into a single document covering construction access to water and sewer, aggregate materials, and arrangements to facilitate transferring service from the old jail to the new facility when it opens.

County staff said the arrangement allows the city to install infrastructure to "full" jail specifications now rather than temporary hookups, with the city monitoring construction use and later converting meters and infrastructure to permanent service for the jail. Commissioners noted a plan to swap or repurpose a 3-inch water meter and retain a 2-inch connection for any residual use at the old facility when it is sold.

Commissioners said the approach saves the county from acquiring additional water rights for construction by leveraging the existing connections and meter arrangements; staff also reported the new facility will likely use less water per fixture than the old building, which should help overall conservation.

The motion to ratify the agreement was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: Ratifying the interlocal agreement supports construction progress for a multi-year jail project and clarifies responsibilities for water, sewer and material sourcing between county and city. It also helps the county avoid near-term large water purchases and enables construction to proceed under an agreed infrastructure plan.

Next steps: Agreement was submitted and signed by county staff and sent to the city. The county will proceed with construction coordination and work with Layton Construction and Cedar City on the infrastructure timeline; proceeds from sale of surplus county property (old jail/CJC site) are expected to offset project costs.