Madison County to vet architects for new jail
JACKSON, Tenn. — Madison County gets one step closer to building a new jail. A consultant made recommendations Wednesday to help with the overcrowding.
Commissioners on the County Correction Partnership Committee agreed Wednesday to put out a request for qualifications from architectural and consultant firms. “It will give us a direction that we need to go in, how much money we need to spend,” Madison County Commissioner Luther T. Mercer said.
A jail consultant told the committee the jail needs a number of improvements including more beds, a better inmate classification system and more staff. “We realize we have to make some decisions,” Madison County Commissioner Gary Deaton said.
Commissioners said one proposal would close the penal farm and annex, then add between 450 and 500 new beds at the Criminal Justice Complex.
County leaders said they still are not quite sure how much this new jail will cost. “We can borrow probably in the neighborhood of $30 million without any kind of tax increase,” Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris said.
Harris said once they pick a company to do the work they can prioritize what is affordable. “You can’t put a price on what it needs to do to keep the county safe and secure,” Mercer said.
Deaton said they probably will have solid numbers to look at by the middle of next year.
