Jail expansion discussion continued during the Stoddard County commissioners meeting Monday, Dec. 18.
Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis asked fellow commissioners Steve Jordan and Carol Jarrell, as well as Sheriff Carl Hefner to compile a list of questions regarding the possible jail expansion.
Mathis said the questions would be addressed and help better point the commission in a direction they could head next.
Three 911 board members were re-appointed during the meeting. They included Andy Holden, Doug Siler and Leroy Stockton.
In other action:
EMA Director Kent Polsgrove provided the commission with a monthly report.
During the Dec. 11 meeting, Stoddard County commissioners proceeded to put together financing numbers to look at a possible future jail expansion.
Earlier in the month, Dale Rogers, president of Robert Stearns and Associates, Inc., of Sikeston, presented the commission with a proposed $13 million, two-story, 120 bed jail facility.
Mathis said he spoke with an individual, whose firm deals in finances, and he suggested calculating a proposed bond issue for a $13 million facility at two percent to produce some starting figures.
Mathis presented the estimated numbers to Jordan, Jarrell and Sheriff Hefner during the meeting. Once the officials look over the numbers, conversation and financing options will continue.
At two percent, monthly payments would come in at just over $65,760 and total $789,177 per year for 20 years. The payments after 20 years would total $15,783,559. Another nearly $3,000 would be paid in interest for the facility.
During a prior smeeting, Hefner estimated he would need about eight additional employees to staff a 120-bed jail.
Estimating a salary of just over $34,800 for eight jailers would add another $278,521 to the cost for a new jail.
The estimated costs of the proposed facility payments plus additional employees would total $1,067,699 per year.
Mathis added this total does not include costs for electricity, gas, water, insurance, general overhead and more.
"These are very preliminary starting numbers based on $13 million," Mathis said. "This is a starting point after what we saw last week and where we could go."
In other action:
The commission agreed to sign for two years with Mutual Medical for the county's health insurance.