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Consultants lay out four jail‑replacement options; bond cost could raise taxes 2.7–3.4 cents
Summary
A consultant study presented four options for replacing Union County’s jail—reuse/renovate, build new with overflow, build new and retain admin building, or fully new—showing construction estimates roughly $178M–$211M and projected bond tax impacts of about 2.7–3.4 cents (roughly $109–$135 annually on a $400,000 home) depending on option; board direction is needed by early May to meet election deadlines.
Consultants and county staff presented four options for a 500‑bed (600‑core) jail program and reviewed construction costs, operational staffing and projected voter‑referendum financing impacts.
The options summarized were:
• Option 1 — adaptive reuse of the existing jail and sheriff’s administration building plus a new 400‑bed building (total program delivered): estimated construction and soft costs produced a total project figure in the low‑to‑mid $178M range after escalation and contingency assumptions.
• Option 2 — new 500‑bed facility while retaining the existing jail as overflow (requires renovating and keeping old spaces ready): the most expensive scenario in the study because it combines new construction and significant existing‑building repairs.
• Option 3 — new 500‑bed facility and retain only the sheriff’s administrative space (demolish the old cell blocks): cost profile between the extremes depending on required repairs to the admin building.
• Option 4 — all‑new replacement and demolition of existing structures: highest new construction content; the estimate was roughly $208–$211M for a full new approach.
Finance and tax impact: County finance staff provided modeled debt service and tax‑rate impacts for bond financing. Using a conservative legislative disclosure interest rate (the highest comparable interest rate in a multi‑decade look‑back) yields a required total debt service schedule and an estimated property‑tax increase in the range of approximately 2.7 to 3.4 cents of assessed value; at a planning rate near current markets the estimated impact is roughly 2.7–3.2 cents. Staff translated that to an annual homeowner impact for a $400,000 property: about $109–$135 annually depending on option and rate assumptions.
Operations and staffing: Consultants also compared ongoing operating and staffing costs. Staff emphasized that operating two facilities over the long term raises ongoing costs (additional staff, separate operations) and that the delta in annual operations between single‑facility and two‑facility scenarios can erode upfront capital savings over time.
Timing and decision points: Staff said the board needs to pick an option in time for staff to prepare bond orders and legal resolutions; to meet the Board of Elections schedule the county needs direction by early May (May 4 at the latest) to place a bond referendum on the November ballot and to meet required public‑notice steps.
Why it matters: The decision will determine long‑term capital debt and recurring county budget commitments. Commissioners asked about code implications (sprinkler and exercise requirements under new jail code), circulation and parking, and the long‑term maintenance/utility costs of repurposed buildings.
What’s next: Staff will provide additional information requested by the board (code implications, more detailed reuse costs, long‑term operating scenarios) and present resolutions and bond paperwork if the board selects a path to refer to voters.
