Residents press Yates County for more transparency on jail project, urge renewable energy options

Public comment at the June 2 Yates County Public Safety Committee meeting centered on calls for greater transparency in planning for a proposed jail and suggestions to incorporate renewable energy into any new facility. Allison Stewart, a resident, said county briefings and tours did not provide a comprehensive view of the jail plans and asked the committee to pause further spending until questions are answered. "Until further such questions are investigated, they do not think further money should be spent on plans for this jail," Stewart said.

Robert Gillespie, another resident who participated in the facility tour, said he supports replacing the current building and raised concerns about ventilation and the lack of programming space for people in custody. He urged county staff and contractors to study renewable options for a new building, saying, "Please look into solar, please look into all renewable energy, you know, especially geothermal." Committee member Doug Paddock later gave a verbal update on the public safety facility project and confirmed that the report before the committee is prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee and routed through Public Works for review.