The county and architecture firm Wachtel and McAnally have been through seven different iterations of the jail facility plans. Until recently, they had scrapped plans to build the Sheriff’s Administration, Criminal Investigations Division, and the Coroner’s Office at the the new jail, because of cost.
In April, the State of Ohio awarded the county $15 million in grant money, which may allow those elements to be added back in.
“Now that we have received $15 million of grant money for the state, we are working through plans to include these operations, so we can move out of the 1929 car dealership we are currenting working from,” Sheriff Scott Anger said.
The last iteration had also cut a full “pod” of inmate beds due to funding, though the design of the building is such that more could be added in the future if jail census numbers increase dramatically, Anger said.
The total cost of the project on Greene Way Boulevard comes from the $15 million state grant, $30 million in sales tax-funded bonds, $10 million in revenue replacement from the American Rescue Plan Act, and $20 million in cash from the county’s general fund.
“I think our team has worked very hard over the last year to design and identify funds that are needed to do a 50-year project that has been needed for more than 30 years,” Anger said. “With inflation, the county is doing the best they can to take care of our needs without raising anyone’s taxes for the project.”
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Construction projects across the country have been slammed with higher costs and inflation the past few years. However, the delay saves the county money in another way, by allowing them to bid the project all together, Anger said.
“I am very excited that this project is moving forward and will provide much-needed critical infrastructure that has been needed for more than 30 years,” Anger said. “Every step of the way, we have considered officer safety, inmate safety, and overall efficiency with the dollars that are being spent.
The Greene County jail project has been years in the making, as officials have long wanted to replace their aging jail on Market Street. Built in 1969, the facility has been under a consent decree since 1989, which limits the jail population due to the decrepit state of the building.
The new jail will also have space for better programming to provide for inmates with mental health and recovery needs, Anger said.
About the Author
