Williams County commissioners and department heads decided to go ahead with a jail expansion after sorting out numbers and weighing needs against costs during a special meeting on Friday morning.
The project would expand the jail from 132 beds to 240 beds, and likely stop the need to transfer inmates to a facility in Hardin, MT.
Some data points (some numbers rounded, and thus differ slightly from the linked story):
- the complex has already been approved for renovation, with a cost of $40 million
- the $20 million jail and law enforcement center expansion would become part of the overall plan
- for the renovation (already approved) and the expansion (being considered) the funds will come from --
- $25 million that was committed to the project from several reserve and permit funds last April (2015)
- $13 million from a now-defunct one-half percent sales tax that was transferred to the building fund earlier this month (March, 2016)
- $1 million generated from a property transfer with the city of Williston
- the remaining $15.5 million will likely be covered by a loan from the Bank of North Dakota
That adds up to $54.5 million.
The combined price tag is $54.9 million, an amount that could increase
if the two expansions were done separately, said Jim Steinmann, a
project manager for Williams County.
Williston may need a special ops team just to respond to any jailhouse breakout.
You know, this is pretty cool. If the jail, at some point, has excess capacity, it could be a revenue-generator, perhaps taking Gitmo prisoners if that facility is shut down.
No comments:
Post a Comment