Starting this week, Osage County residents will learn more about the Sheriff’s Office’s plans to build a new headquarters and jail.
The first public meeting is at 6 pm Wednesday at the Osage City Community Building, with more coming through the month.
The Sheriff’s Office is looking to move away from its current jail and law enforcement headquarters in Lyndon to a facility including a sheriff’s office, jail, emergency management, emergency operations center and an option for an EMS ambulance bay. The goal is to go from 37 beds in the jail — some of which can’t be used for a variety of reasons — to at least 70 beds with a second option of 144 beds. The 70-bed jail would cost $15 million and would be funded with a half-cent sales tax. The 144-bed option would cost around $18 million; instead of a tax increase, it would use income created by holding inmates for other agencies.
More information about the process is on the Osage County Sheriff Facebook page.
