News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Clay County has taken the next step in building a new jail by submitting project plans for state approval.
Sheriff Brandon Boone said if the Tennessee Corrections Institute and Fire Marshal’s Office gives the okay, construction could go out for bid in February.
“I think it is like 60 days it stays out to bid, and then we’ll go from there to see if it falls within budget,” Boone said. “If it falls within in budget, hopefully sometime in the summer we should begin construction and moving dirt.”
Clay County has $7.5 million budgeted for the project through a USDA loan. Boone said building materials increasing in price has caused concern if bids will fit that budget.
“I’m definitely concerned about the cost being more than what’s budgeted just due to normal every year raises in cost in materials, but here lately we have seen an extreme increase in all types of items,” Boone said. “Some items are very difficult to even get. The architect mentioned to me and the mayor that metal right now in fact if you ordered it today it would probably be a nine month waiting period to get it.”
Boone said the design is pretty basic, so cutting beds would be the main option to reduce cost. The 100-bed facility to be located at Highway 53 across from Buford Drive would be mostly metal.
“Obviously, we do need a certain number of beds to hold our own state inmates and potentially house other inmates to help pay and off-set the cost of construction of it,” Boone said. “That was our intent to at least have 35 beds set aside to just hold state inmates.”
The sewer moratorium of Celina also plays a role in the future of the jail. Boone said a potential delay could come with the project depending on the city’s Community Development Block Grant project to allow more connections starting next year.
