Dubois County leaders are figuring out ways to move forward following a new study on the Dubois County Security Center.
The Justice Study Committee asked for the public for their input on the proposed option.
About three dozen people came to share their thoughts on the two options that came from the study.
The first option is expanding and remodeling the property that is close to the current location of the security center, adding a building to increase the number of beds in the jail pod to between 240 and 270. This option also includes having a building to house courts along with a connector between the courts facility and the jail. This is estimated cost a little over $43 million dollars.
The second is estimated to cost over $50 million dollars. This option would use the Old National Bank site on Sixth and Mill, and includes adding two new buildings on either side. One would be used for jail beds, and the other building would be used as a parking garage. The bank building itself would be renovated and used for office space. Community Corrections would also need to be expanded.
The Dubois County Security Center was built back in 1990.
The study also found that the average length of a stay for an inmate last year was 35.6 days.
They predicted that 20 years later, it would increase 105%, which is 73 days.
The city council will discuss the financial portion at a meeting next Tuesday.
