If the county is to eventually build a new jail to meet state certification standards, a site has to be selected. Will it be at the existing location or on new property inside the city limits of Smithville?
During a three-hour meeting Monday night, April 7 the jail committee of the county commission met to discuss several options for land purchase and costs and to again explain to the public why a new jail is needed. During the public comment period later in the meeting, the committee took questions from a large group of residents who turned out to give their opinions and, in some cases to express their frustrations.
Sixteen people took to the podium to speak, and their concerns ranged from outright opposition to building a new jail especially in their neighborhoods to keeping construction costs to a minimum if a new jail is built.
Many are still angry over the county commission’s vote last year to increase the property tax rate by 51 cents to service the debt on proposed construction of a jail/judicial center through issuance of bonds not to exceed $65 million which eventually failed at the polls during a public referendum last November. But while the bond issue did not move forward the property tax increase still remains in place for another jail construction project yet to be approved.
(View the WJLE Facebook LIVE video from Monday night’s meeting)