GF jail administrator says jail expansion overdue

Grand Forks County Correctional Center Administrator Bret Burkholder is trying to lock down support for expanding the local jail.

Burkholder told county commissioners this week that the planned $38 million dollar addition is a step in the right direction – but likely won’t be the last. The current jail has 248 beds – but the functional capacity is closer to 180. Burkholder says the average daily inmate population has exceeded that level for the past five years.  “While building or expanding the correctional center doesn’t catch the eye of the public because it’s not flashy of pretty to do with tax dollars…not having a facility…or being closed…are much worse for the public.”

Burkholder says jail construction is the county’s most expensive build per square foot.  “Correctional facilities are unlike other county buildings.  We are not open 50 hours a week…we are open 168 hours.  We have a population that is more destructive to the building than anyone else.”

Fewer open beds also cuts into the ability to house federal inmates which brings in additional dollars to the county. Burkholder says while the state reimburses the county for housing inmates – there’s complexities and loopholes to that pay plan.

When the correctional center opened 16 years ago it cost $16 million dollars to build.