Stoddard County Commissioners discussed exploring the cost of an 80 bed jail facility as opposed to the previously proposed $10 million, 120 bed facility.
During the Feb. 13 county commission meeting, Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis said he had three options he could ask for a motion on to move the jail expansion project forward and wanted input from fellow commissioners.
The three options included proceeding with the original 120 bed facility rendering, lease detainment solutions systems or build from a set amount of dollars.
"I definitely think we need to do something and move forward," Commissioner Carol Jarrell said. "I don't think the trailers (detainment systems) are a good idea."
Jarrell said she believed the detainment systems, presented by All Detainment Solutions during the Feb. 5 meeting, would be "money out the window" because the systems are available through lease options only and not for sale.
"I would like to see a downsize," Jarrell said. "Instead of $13 million maybe $7 to $8 million."
She went on to say she did not feel comfortable placing a tax on the ballot to citizens of Stoddard County for $13 million.
Commissioner Steve Jordan agreed with Jarrell that $13 million was too much to put on the tax payers.
Jordan added he would be "100 percent for a half cent sales tax" for law enforcement to support deputies and personnel of the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department.
After the initial preliminary cost of $13 million was presented by Dale Rogers, President of Robert Stearns and Associates, Inc., for the proposed facility, the cost later decreased to $10 million after subtracting costs for security detention equipment and furnishings and cameras, door control and master control.
Commissioners proposed cutting the number of beds from 120 to 80 to save on costs and potentially put the price tag closer to the $7 to $8 million range.
"If we can do something with an 80 bed facility, I'm ready to put it on the ballot in August and run with it," Mathis said. "But I won't vote for 120 beds."
Sheriff Carl Hefner agreed moving forward with 80 beds would work and said he would set down with Rogers and see what could be done.
As for the next step, commissioners will have Rogers present an 80 bed facility at a future county commission meeting. The plan is to include a new jail as well as the current facility to see what renovations can be done and go from there.
Two propositions would still be included on the ballot. The first for a law enforcement tax for maintenance, additional deputies and salaries as well as a second for financing of the new construction. The first proposition must pass for the second to pass.
In other action:
* Commissioners unanimously voted for Stoddard County Assessor Dan Creg to sign the litigation contract regarding Ameren Missouri.
This will allow the county to continue their litigation against Ameren Missouri, along with 15 other counties in the area, regarding the assessment of natural-gas distribution lines, which Ameren feels is too high.
According to Creg, this case has been ongoing since 2013 because Ameren is trying to do their own accession with different deprecation values.
Creg said the state tax commission will hear the case next.
At this time, Mathis said Stoddard County is fronting a percentage of the money for each entity receiving tax revenue serviced by Ameren, such as the public schools, and will refund the county once resolved.
"We are not going to give up," Mathis said. "That's what Ameren wants."