Coffey County is looking to build a new justice center, and county leaders held a special meeting in Burlington to discuss the current plan and gain feedback from residents.
The current plan calls for a new $20 million facility, although increases in materials costs could increase the total and items like property acquisition are currently not included. The new facility could include courts, the sheriff’s office, emergency management, dispatch and an 80-bed jail to replace the current facility, which is nearing 40 years old. It would also change from the current layout to a pod layout.
Coffey County Attorney Wade Bowie says new construction will cost more than renovations, which could be in the neighborhood of $7 million to $10 million. However, that doesn’t help long-term space issues much.
Coffey County is currently sending several of its inmates to nearby counties, paying upwards of $30,000 last year for that purpose.
Coffey County leaders detailed numerous issues with the current jail, which was built in 1984. At the top of the list, according to Sheriff Tom Johnson, is safety for everybody — law enforcement, inmates and the general public — especially with the current linear layout.
Bowie also mentioned insufficient capacity and sewage issues as concerns.
Residents had numerous concerns, including revenue, location and cost. Bill Fry went a step further, saying the project is “being shoved down our throats.”
Tim Austin questioned plans to perhaps gain revenue from housing inmates from other counties, especially with Osage County researching a potential new jail and Anderson County recently building a new facility.
Coffey County hasn’t announced additional public input meetings as the process continues, and it is also deciding where a new justice center could be placed, with areas near Coffey Health System and the Coffey County Airport listed as potential options during the meeting. The tentative plan would be to bond out 80 percent with the county paying the remaining 20 percent through current reserve funds.
