Committee Votes To Begin Studies For Jail Expansion

A Putnam County committee has voted begin phase two of the jail expansion project.

Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said Monday that some studies need to be done on the jail property.

“We’ve got have geotechnical services done, core drilling, and a survey of where all the electrical is,” Porter said. “To be able to get some really good budget pricing we’ve got to have some drawings done of what it’s going to look like.”

The Fiscal Review Committee voted Monday to pay no more than $280,000 for geotechnical work. Porter said the study will help determine if an expansion would be possible at the current facility.

“The first thing we have to do is figure out if the grounds will support the building to be built upon,” Porter said. “You have to look at where the utilities are buried at because that was done 25-years ago.”

The jail committee has decided to expand upon the current facility as opposed to constructing a brand new building. The plan calls for 800 additional beds and at least three new courtrooms.

The county commission will vote on the committee’s recommendation during the May 20th meeting.