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Jefferson County reviews plan to convert old jail into regional juvenile detention center
Summary
County officials heard a detailed proposal to repurpose the old county jail as a juvenile detention center, including cost estimates, staffing ratios, state regulatory requirements and a proposed one-year consulting contract with Josh Nichols to begin renovations and operations planning.
Jefferson County council members spent the bulk of their meeting reviewing a detailed proposal to convert the county's old jail into a juvenile detention center, a plan the presenters said would keep detained youths closer to family, reduce transport costs and create local jobs while requiring upfront renovation and ongoing operating funds.
The presentation, introduced by council leadership and featuring consultant Josh Nichols and references to state juvenile detention rules, outlined reuse options the county has studied and recommended a phased start. "Our current operating expense runs everything from programmatic down to food, down to insurance, facility maintenance," Nichols said, giving an example operating budget near $2.2 million for a comparable facility. He also said utility costs for the building averaged about $54,636 per month in 2023.
The proposal calls for an initial small-scale operation (an opening phase with eight male…
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