Jefferson County officials and staff discussed plans to repurpose the county’s unused jail into a local juvenile facility, focusing on a timeline, startup costs and the facility’s design and capacity.

County staff presented a project plan circulated in advance and said the team’s tentative target for opening the facility is January 2027. "Their hope would be January 2027," Speaker 4 said. Attendees agreed to seek a second contractor estimate and to return with a firm dollar figure at least two weeks before the February meeting so the board can consider a budget vote.

The initial operating plan discussed would open with "8 males, 8 females" in separate wings, with the option to expand over time: participants said the facility could scale toward roughly 40 beds in later phases but that state guidance recommends starting small. Speaker 5 summarized the phasing approach and Speaker 7 told the group the state advised: "start off small ... you got good bones there." The discussion stressed juvenile-specific layout and supervision requirements, including one-way sightlines and separate recreation/courtyard space for youth.

Speakers emphasized the practical and fiscal drivers for a local center: juveniles from the county are currently housed roughly three hours away, which creates travel and staffing costs and reduces family visitation. "It is a cost to the county about 2 officers going with them and then coming back," Speaker 3 said, noting the strain on officer time and families when placements are distant. County staff were asked to profile 2025 trip counts, mileage and man-hours to support grant applications and budget analysis.

On costs and funding, attendees discussed several potential sources. Speaker 3 referenced an internal working estimate of about $500,000 as an initial figure for startup work and said a business projection had suggested operations could reach break-even near month 27; the group cautioned against assuming guaranteed outside revenue. Speaker 4 said the county’s ARP remainder figure is about $185,000 and recommended exploring local foundations such as Bethany Legacy for mental-health–oriented funding. Contractors present or named as potential bidders included Tim Breeding and a Johnson-group team; the group discussed cleanup and specialized kitchen remediation that likely will require subcontracted services. One participant noted a demolition figure heard in early estimates of roughly $1,500,000, which speakers flagged as a separate, high-cost scenario.

Design and operational details raised by staff and members included the courtyard layout (“it’s gonna be surrounded by courtyard, the recreation area,” Speaker 2), modifications such as converting bunk beds to single beds, upgraded cameras and security systems, privacy screens or stub walls in shower areas, and the need to comply with juvenile housing standards that are stricter than adult jail requirements. Participants also discussed whether the facility would accept juveniles from neighboring counties; speakers noted legal and classification constraints that make inter-county placements more complicated than adult inmate exchanges.

Next steps agreed by the group were to obtain at least one more contractor estimate, assemble trip/mileage and officer-hour data for 2025, confirm potential foundation or state funding cycles, and have a firm cost number available before the February meeting. The item will return for further consideration and a potential budget vote in February; in the meantime, staff will provide monthly reporting to commissioners during renovation and startup.

At the close of the meeting Speaker 7 moved to adjourn and Speaker 3 seconded; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The county did not adopt any formal budget appropriation or contract at this meeting; members directed staff to gather the additional estimates and data required for a February decision.