Commissioners considering jail renovation vs. new construction project

Miami County commissioners said they support taking a look at the feasibility and costs of renovating the 1970s downtown Troy jail before possibly embarking on a proposed new jail construction project. The commissioners, Sheriff Dave Duchak, consultants from Henningson, Durham and Richardson Inc., or HDR, and others met July 17 to take a closer look at jail needs. This followed a report from earlier this year from HDR recommending a new jail on the grounds of the current county Incarceration Facility between Troy and Piqua. The cost of a recommended 200-bed maximum security jail, including 32 new medical beds, was estimated at $100 million.

The proposal calls, too, for reuse of the Incarceration Facility’s existing minimum security beds, its lobby, laundry and food service areas, among others. A new facility should include sheriff’s office administration space, also located with the downtown Troy jail, plus offices for the county Emergency Management Agency and the backup county 911 center, said Sheriff Duchak.

Commissioners said options to pay for a jail solution could include a sales tax increase, which would have to be approved by voters. The $100 million might be more than the voters would support, commissioners said. Renovating the downtown jail, the target of previous federal court orders due to space and condition issues, possibly won’t be an option, but commissioners said it is important to check all options. An assessment of the downtown jail future likely will cost around $50,000, although a formal cost would need to be calculated and approved by commissioners, said consultant Matt Skarr. A report should take 60 to 90 days to complete once a contract is in place. “I think we need to do our due diligence and look at the existing jail to see what the numbers are,” said Commission President Ted Mercer.

Commissioner Greg Simmons said he agreed the due diligence needs to be done, but added he is not in favor of “putting $25 million in an old jail. I would rather put $100 million in a new jail.”

County leaders “sooner or later have to start going to the citizens,” explaining why a jail is needed, and why the cost is so high, said Commissioner Wade Westfall.

The consulting company offers an added service of helping county officials sell a sales tax and project proposal to the community. At least one-half of the company’s clients use this added service, he said.

Duchak said some jail presentations have been made already to service and other organizations and facility tours are being arranged so people can get their own look at the current three-floor facility layout and its condition.