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Caroline County leaders say new detention center funding likely five years out; renovation seen as limited option
Summary
County administrators told commissioners that applying for state funding for a new detention center is a multi-year process (part 1 due March 1, part 2 due July 1) and that funding timelines are roughly five years; Warden Gordon Scott advised renovating the current jail is unlikely to meet program and code requirements.
County officials told the Board of Commissioners on Nov. 25 that planning for a new detention center will be a multi-year effort and that state funding timelines put construction several years in the future.
The county administrator reported that Part 1 applications are due annually on March 1 with Part 2 due July 1 of the same year for jurisdictions pursuing a new detention facility. Staff cautioned that, based on their discussions with state officials, funding is likely to be about five years out from submission and that the county should consider a multi-year planning horizon.
Warden Gordon Scott, introduced during the county administrator's report, told commissioners that renovating the existing detention center is unlikely to meet the program-space and code requirements the county would need to satisfy. Scott cited specific constraints including lack of program space, ceiling clearance issues that limit secure housing design, roof leaks and very old windows; he said retrofitting the current building could require wholesale demolition or would lock the county into a location with no room to expand.
"No. I don't," Warden Scott said when asked if renovation could meet program requirements, and he outlined concerns about ADA compliance, cell sizing and structural limitations. County staff and commissioners discussed pursuing federal funding opportunities and other grants to help offset costs and potentially allow the county to follow federal wage rules that could lower construction costs in some scenarios.
Staff said they are scheduling follow-up meetings with state and private consultants, assessing interim repairs needed to keep the current facility safe, and evaluating potential alternative sites (one site behind the sheriff's department on Doublefields Road in Denton was mentioned). Because of timing constraints, commissioners said they likely will miss the upcoming March application cycle and will target the next submission opportunity.
Next steps: staff to meet with town officials about potential siting, continue exploring federal funding and consultant assistance, and address interim repairs to the existing facility while planning continues.
