At Monday night’s Quorum Court meeting the members were advised that Lawrence County has just 90 days to have a plan in place for the replacement of the current Lawrence County Jail. Lawrence County is still in the running for a Regional Jail that would hold an estimated 300 inmates including up to 100 county inmates but as the deadline looms, leaders are forced to come up with an alternate plan.
Sheriff Yates stated in the meeting that the county may have to downsize the project so the county can save money, a proposed 80 bed facility is being considered. The Sheriff has plans to meet with an architect firm to get estimates on cost according to the size determined. Currently Lawrence County is housing an estimated 46 inmates in the current facility.
Under the new deadline, the county will have to have a building plan along with a location and a plan for for funding the construction which will more than likely include a proposed tax for the future facility. Final approval for the facility will be by the Jail Standards Committee once the plan is passed on a local level.