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Meigs County commission moves to terminate Southfield contract, seeks new jail plan
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Summary
The Meigs County commission voted to terminate its contract arrangement tied to 'Southfield' (an LLC combining Spirit Architecture and Smith-door contractors) and directed staff to produce a concrete plan and cost estimate for jail certification or renovation before pursuing further work.
The Meigs County Commission voted to terminate the county's contract arrangement tied to "Southfield" and asked staff to return with a concrete plan and cost estimate for any jail work.
Brian Dean, who identified himself during the meeting as "Brian Dean from NextGen," opened the discussion by saying, "I got copies of the drawings for the jail," and described proposals that would expand capacity from roughly 56 beds to about 102 beds with estimated costs "25 to $30,000,000." Commissioners said the dollar amounts had not been discussed at prior meetings and emphasized that prior work had focused on remodeling to restore certification rather than building a larger facility.
Concerns at the meeting centered on project scope and long-term costs. One participant warned that borrowing over 20–30 years would saddle future taxpayers and increase operating expenses, including additional officer staffing. Commissioners also discussed certification requirements and whether the county should pursue only the minimum work needed to regain certification or take on a larger expansion.
Speaker 6 moved "to do away with the Southfield" arrangement, and the commission discussed contractual mechanics and notice requirements. The transcript records discussion of a 30-day notice to terminate the contract and descriptions that the Southfield name reflected a joint presence of Spirit Architecture and Smith Door Contractors. Commissioners directed that the sheriff and staff continue to develop ideas while the county solicits firm cost figures and certification options, with a recommendation to seek vendor verification from TCI for certification work.
Votes and routine business followed the motion. After the roll call, the commission proceeded with follow-up direction: obtaining a formal plan, identifying who would fund the work, and deciding whether to pursue minimal certification or a more extensive renovation. The meeting record shows no final vendor award and staff were asked to return with verified cost estimates and a clear plan before additional commitments are made.
The commission's next procedural steps were to provide a plan and dollar figure and to consider bids from other architects and contractors; no new construction contract was awarded at this meeting.
