New $17 million facility expected to be completed in 18 months
BY KYLE TROUTMAN ktroutman@cassville-democrat.comOn Thursday morning, about 15 county and city officials were on hand to break ground on the $17 million jail and sheriff’s office on Old Exeter Road.
Another 20 individuals came to witness the event, some of whom will hopefully be working in the new facility by the end of 2024.
Steve Blankenship, Barry County presiding commissioner, thanked all those in attendance and said a prayer for the individuals building the facility; then, each person with a shovel and hard hat turned a mound of dirt.
Discussions surrounding the jail began about five years ago, with the Barry County Commission initially considering a remodel of the current facility on East Sixth Street.
“We were going to remodel, but after talking with our architects and sheriff, felt we would be just putting a Band-Aid on a big sore,” said Gary Schad, Barry County northern commissioner. “We started looking for land about six months to a year ago after we determined it was not feasible to remodel.”
The property the county landed on was a 27-acre tract off Old Exeter Road behind Baywash Carwash for $230,000. Commissioners said they looked at multiple properties in the area, but the others were the same price or more for about a third of the acreage, and many were unsuitable for building.
Gene Robbins, Barry County southern commissioner, said the intent is to use only a portion of the land for the jail, sheriff’s office and health department buildings and to retain a portion west of that location for possible future use. That amounts to about 7-8 acres, and the remainder would then be open for the county to sell.
Thejailandsheriff’sofficewillbea30,000-squarefoot facility and with many features the current 12,000-15,000 square feet of buildings do not have.
“We have rubber rooms for people with psychological challenges, and we will have a way to keep people on suicide watch separated,” said Danny Boyd, Barry County Sheriff. “Also, when an inmate comes in, none of the public outside will see them until the inmate is released. Even in the rec yard, inmates will not be visible to the public. We also require someone to pick inmates up when they are bonded or released.”
The building will have a training room that can fit 20 individuals with tables and chairs, and there will be negative pressure rooms if an inmate is ill. Additional holding pods in the 100bed facility are also better separated, with six total containment areas.
Blankenship said should an overflow occur, inmates will be housed in other counties, as is the current practice.
Boyd also mentioned the facility would help other agencies bringing inmates, such as the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Currently, the Patrol has to make two stops after arresting an individual for driving while intoxicated or under the influence, first at the Cassville Police Department to perform blood alcohol content testing, then to the jail for containment.
The new jail will also include a sally port, which will lessen the possibility of escape on foot since inmates enter through an exterior door at the current facility.
Construction on the project began on Feb. 6, and the current completion date is set for July 29, 2024. Joyce Ennis, Barry County clerk, said officials hope to be fully moved into the new facility by the end of 2024.
“This is designed as a masonry building, so it will serve the county for decades to come,” said Travis Tindall, principal and architect with NFORM Architecture. “The materials we use will call for less maintenance. The historic Courthouse was built masonry-style, and it has stood the test of time.”
“The design also meets American Correctional Association standards, is Prison Rape Elimination Act-compliant and follows all state guidelines,” said Stephanie Shadwick, NFORM Architecture project manager.
The jail and sheriff’s office is funded by a loan of $17 million, which Schad said is being invested to help cut down on interest costs.
“When we passed the half-cent sales tax for law enforcement, that opened up money in the general fund for this project, and we have $6 million in reserves for it, as well,” Ennis said.
“We hope the sales tax will keep doing what it’s doing,” Schad said. “Our timeline to pay it off is in 10 years, but we can do it in 8. We are going through our investment company to invest some of that as we go to offset costs.
“It’s no-risk,” Robbins added. “We’re just making money off of money we’ve borrowed.”
Ennis said The loan is for the full $17 million because the county must keep a debt service reserve fund. There are also costs beyond the facility, like furnishings, that the county will have to cover.
The new jail and sheriff’s office project was necessitated by issues plaguing the current facility, including safety and health concerns.
Ennis said the future of the building is still being determined.
“We may put the building up for sale, but we may also use it for storage,” she said. “But, I think it would make a great haunted house, and Gary [Youngblood] suggested someone turn it into a bed a breakfast.”
