The Reno County Jail Study Committee met again Tuesday night and one of the things discussed was the survey the county plans to conduct early next year over the plans for a new jail. But, they will also ask residents about other things being added to the proposal such as moving some county offices to the jail annex, should voters approve building a new jail.
They plan to add courthouse security at some point and possibly a new entrance with metal detectors. Should they add the security, they worry about residents having to go through metal detectors while taking care of county business such as renewing car tags or paying property taxes. They want to move those county departments to the jail annex as a total package at a cost of 28.5-million dollars.
Commissioner Dan Deming told us they would extend the half cent sales tax one additional year to have everything completed.
They’re also hoping that the “sixth tenths of a cent” state sales tax will be allowed to sunset, however with the governor and the legislature cut taxes in the last legislative session. This has caused a revenue shortfall and now there is talk of the state extending that. That is a concern of the committee and the county.
County officials argue that as things stand now, they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars housing inmates in other facilities, including the Butler and Ford County jails. The plan is to build on land currently owned by the Kansas Department of Corrections and eliminate housing inmates in other jurisdictions.
The survey will be conducted after the first of the year and will contact 400-residents of the county.
Although they want the total package approved, if the survey suggest that voters don’t want to spend the extra for moving county departments and renovating facilities within the Reno County Courthouse and Law Enforcement Center, then they would have to reconsider whether to push those items. Those on the committee present Tuesday seem to agree that getting a new jail is the top priority.
County tax payers will be ask to vote on all of this in early April of next year.