Osage County isn’t the only area county looking for a new law enforcement center and jail. If voters approve, Coffey County could build a new facility.
Coffey County is now in the exploratory phase for a new $25 million facility, which could include courts, the sheriff’s office, emergency management, dispatch and an 80-bed jail. The tentative plan would be to bond out 80 percent with the county paying the remaining 20 percent.
Information meetings for Coffey County residents begin this week with a special County Commission meeting at 7 pm Wednesday at Burlington’s Kelly Hall. The goal is to put this on the ballot, but it hasn’t been determined whether this will appear on the November 2021 ballot or perhaps next year.
As Coffey County begins its process, Osage County is nearing the end of its public input period. The current plan involves 144 proposed beds, up from 30 currently available, and a facility that will house all aspects of law enforcement and emergency management. If approved, the new facility could cost upwards of $18 million and would be funded by revenue from holding inmates for other cities and counties.
Osage County’s prospective law enforcement facility is on the November 2021 ballot. The schedule for upcoming meetings is currently pending.
