Supervisors: Consulting firm presents $12 million budget for new jail

By Rick Morain

Jefferson Herald

The consulting firm working with the Greene County Board of Supervisors on a bond issue election for a new county jail presented the board with their estimate of a new jail’s cost Aug. 1.

The estimated cost, assuming a bond issue election at the November general election passes with at least 60 percent favorability, is pegged at $12,032,812.50. That figure includes furnishings, site construction, a 15 percent contingency add-on, plus legal, architectural, engineering, and other miscellaneous costs in addition to the actual construction cost.

The proposed new jail, at 17,650 square feet, has 20 beds plus four holding cells. Sheriff Jack Williams said if more beds would be needed, each cell could be equipped with bunk beds which would double the facility’s capacity.
Senior architect for the ISG consulting firm Bryan Paulsen presented the numbers to the board. Also on hand for the discussion were Nick Frederiksen, ISG civil engineering group leader, and Derek Johnson, ISG executive vice president. They presented suggested drawings and a floor plan of the proposed facility.

NOTABLE ITEMS

• In board action, county engineer Wade Weiss discussed a meeting of the county’s committee on courthouse renovations. The committee is looking at a scaled-back heating and cooling/restroom renovation project, using American Rescue Plan (COVID Plan) funding totaling $1.7 million.
• On recommendation of Greene County treasurer Katelyn Mechaelsen, the board added Heartland Bank to the list of depository institutions for county funds, at a maximum amount of $5 million.
• County attorney Thomas Laehn presented to the board a first draft of the re-codified ordinances of the county. The draft includes a utility-scale solar energy systems ordinance which the board would need to consider before the county’s six-month moratorium on large-scale solar energy systems expires in September. The board will take the re-codified ordinances under review.
• The board reappointed Karla Janning to the Region XII Regional Housing Authority for the period Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.

• The board meets regularly every Monday at 8:30 a.m. in the board room on second floor of the courthouse.

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