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Commissioners weigh jail feasibility study as county jail holds about 182 inmates in facility built for 109
Summary
County staff reported feasibility‑study bids ranging from roughly $75,000 to $132,000 depending on scope; commissioners pressed for urgency after noting current overcrowding and discussed timing, cost‑sharing with neighboring jurisdictions and next steps for planning.
County Manager April Sneed told the Board of Commissioners the county received a feasibility‑study bid of $132,000 for a combined jail‑and‑courthouse planning package and separate proposals of roughly $75,000 and $100,000 for a jail study alone.
Sneed said such studies take several months of engineering and planning work to produce the metrics and cost estimates necessary to move toward hiring a contractor. "It's going to take three or four months of an engineering company looking...to give you what would look like plans or what would look like the cost," she said.
Commissioners described the county's current jail population as a pressing concern; one speaker said the facility is holding about 182 people when it was designed for roughly 109. Members debated whether to fund a feasibility study now or wait as other capital needs compete for limited dollars. Several commissioners urged moving the study forward to avoid future legal and operational risks.
Options discussed included pursuing a regional approach with neighboring Richmond County (which could split study costs), visiting recently completed facilities for firsthand review, and scheduling the matter for discussion at an upcoming board retreat. No final decision to hire a consultant or award a feasibility study contract was made at the meeting; commissioners instructed staff to prioritize the topic in coming budget and retreat planning so the board can identify funding and sequence next steps.
The county also noted that one response for a broader jail‑courthouse study covered more extensive renovations and therefore had a higher price than bids limited to the jail alone. Commissioners asked staff to return with more detailed cost comparisons and a recommended timeline for the feasibility phase.
