Putnam Co Commissioners Approve Architect Drawings For Expansion Jail

Architects will begin final work on drawings for the Putnam County Jail.

County commissioners approved up to $250,000 in architectural work Monday night. Sheriff Eddie Farris said this begins the process of creating final drawings, a process that would take about eight months. Farris said the goal remains to break ground this fall.

“We still think if we can get the money appropriated and get the bond and comped up with the number, within the next sixty days we can still break ground this fall and that’s the goal.”

Friday, Farris, the building manager, and members of the planning team visited several facilities in Alabama and Georgia, as well as production facilities for some of the products, such as steel or concrete, that will be used in construction. Farris said rising construction costs have prevented the presentation of the bond issue to county commissioners.

“We certainly don’t want to ask for the money, get a bond, and then get down the road and realize we don’t have enough money to build what we set out to so that is certainly what we’re trying to avoid.”

Farris said the biggest concern that he and the team have is with the cost of materials, namely steel. In addition to it being costly, the production of steel itself is already behind schedule. For these reasons, as well as other factors, the team has made the decision to go with concrete.

“That’s what we’re leaning towards. That’s somewhat what we have right now, we’re accustomed to it and it’s worked well for us. Plus, it’s cheaper. That is what we’re looking at,” said Farris. “Plus construction on that type of facility is much quicker.”

The plan is to add on to the current structure of the Putnam County Jail.