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Contractor urges early planning, flexible financing for possible Oktibbeha County jail project
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Summary
White Construction Company representative Rob Mayo told the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors the county should begin planning now for a new or renovated jail, recommended certificates of participation and a design‑build approach, and warned the process typically takes several years from initial talks to ground‑breaking.
Rob Mayo, representing White Construction Company, told the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors that the county should begin planning now for a potential new correctional facility or renovation of its existing jail. Mayo outlined the company’s corrections experience and said financing and procurement choices will shape how quickly the project can proceed. "White Construction Company started in Clarksdale in 1971," Mayo said, describing past projects in Warren and Hancock counties and the firm’s work on several justice facilities.
Mayo said the timeline for a county jail project can be long: from first conversations to digging a shovel in the ground often takes years. He recommended exploring certificates of participation as a financing tool that can avoid a bond election and give the county more procurement flexibility. He also recommended a design‑build delivery model with a single point of contact to keep design and construction coordinated.
Board members asked about procurement, siting and regulatory limits. Mayo said county officials should assume a usable life for a jail of about "25 to 30 years" and plan for sufficient site acreage (he suggested roughly 10 acres as a starting point, larger in some configurations). On procurement he noted that a certificate‑of‑participation approach can permit qualifications‑based hire instead of a hard bid, which some counties prefer for complex, litigious facilities.
The presentation included examples from other counties: Mayo described a Warren County project that was planned for 225 beds but designed to allow expansion to 310 later, and he urged supervisors to visit recently completed local justice complexes to see maintenance outcomes. "Let us be a resource," Mayo told the board, and he offered to return for further discussions and to meet with county staff and bond/finance advisors.
The board did not take formal action on a project today; supervisors acknowledged the presentation and instructed staff to continue conversations. The county chair moved to acknowledge the presentation and the motion passed unanimously.
What’s next: County staff and supervisors will use the information from the presentation as they consider financing options, procure bond counsel and planning consultants, and evaluate site selection and timeline implications for any future jail project.
