GREENFIELD — A newly formed committee to review the design and costs of a proposed $35 million county jail says it needs more clarity on the facility’s utilities services and the number of staff it will need.
The Hancock County Jail Committee — comprised of county commissioner John Jessup; county council members Jeannine Gray and Jim Shelby; jail commander Keith Oliver; circuit court Judge Scott Sirk; and Sheriff Brad Burkhart — met for the first time on Wednesday afternoon in the county annex building. Maj. Bobby Campbell filled in for Burkhart, who was absent but available via phone.
The group met with three representatives from RQAW, the Indianapolis-based firm that has been tasked with designing a new Hancock County Jail. The firm recently announced a plan to build a $35 million jail. The county also will have to spend an estimated $3.25 million to prepare infrastructure and utilities for the site, located between County Roads 400E and 500E along U.S. 40.
The proposed jail would house about 440 inmates, split between 304 dormitory-style beds and 136 cells.
The committee commended the schematic design, but they had questions on the source of the site’s utilities. RQAW’s plan says the jail could have a sanitary package plant, costing $1.6 million. The firm, however, didn’t include a price or plan on the site’s water supply.
Dustin Frye, director of construction for RQAW, said engineers are determining whether water should come from the Greenfield Water Utility, wells on site or another avenue.
Shelby said Greenfield representatives have unofficially offered to provide water and sewer services to the site at no cost to the county. They would charge about $115,000 in impact fees as well as a monthly usage fees, Shelby said.
Jessup said the county needs the city to put that offer in writing, so county officials and RQAW can determine the most cost-effective way to pay for utilities. Frye said he’ll follow up with Greenfield Utilities.
The committee also discussed the staffing needs for the new jail. Jessup said the jail may need about 20 additional correctional officers. A local income tax hike of 0.2 percent that the council will vote on next month might not be able to cover the jail’s construction costs and staffing needs, Jessup said.
He said the committee will try to figure out how to possibly pay for jail staff from other funding sources.
Burkhart plans to propose the jail’s staffing needs at next Tuesday’s commissioners meeting.
The jail committee meets next at 4 p.m. Jan. 30. The meeting is open to the public.
