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| New Hinds jail may have to wait |
| By clarionledger.com |
| Published: 04/28/2009 |
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With the new inmate housing unit at the Hinds County penal farm almost $2.5 million over budget, the county may have to delay building a regional jail so it can pay off the debt. The initial cost estimate for the penal farm project in Raymond was around $9 million. It's now around $11.5 million, and the 400-bed facility has not yet opened. A combination of construction delays, change orders and last-minute alterations has boosted the price of the 32,000-square-foot facility to nearly $355 a square foot. That's almost twice what the state would pay for a similar facility. The state Department of Corrections pays between $180 and $200 per square foot to build a correctional facility, Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps said. Because of the cost overrun, the county might have to borrow money if it wants to build a planned $14 million, 400-bed regional jail in Raymond, District 3 county Supervisor Peggy Calhoun said. "(And) we still have to have money (in the budget) to pay off the bonds," she said. Construction costs for the penal farm include replacing wall board, fixing cracked ceilings, buying new bunk beds and placing a partition between the showers and toilets. A September 2005 federal court order called for the county to replace the existing housing at the penal farm because of its run-down condition. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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