(KNOX) – The Grafton Board of Adjustment has approved an engineering study regarding the construction of the new Walsh County Correctional Center. This study will push back the vote for approving a conditional-use permit that allows construction to start.
Walsh County has been planning for the past five years to build a new sheriff’s office and jail that would have better conditions and a bigger capacity. The project was originally planned to have a $42 million budget, but was reanalyzed down to $24 million, as it would only include the jail.
The engineering study is being funded by the city of Grafton and will get an engineer’s opinion about conditions of the city’s sewer, sanitary, storm water and electrical systems located in the construction area.
The construction project can only continue if the board approves the permit. The board won’t vote on it until the study is finished and Walsh County Sheriff Ron Jurgens says this could cause significant delays.
Jurgens says the new jail might get built in Park River and that it would be more affordable to build a new jail instead of repairing the current facility.
Jurgens also says the current jail has 16 beds, and that officers have had to send inmates to facilities as far as Williston because the jail did not have enough space.
The county held a referendum vote that asked to install a 0.75 percent sales tax and an increase to the county’s general fund levy to fund the project. Only the sales tax passed, but the Walsh County Commission also approved a $10 million bid package.
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