COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Board of Commissioners approved the location and design of the new Branch County Jail during their meeting Monday.
Commissioners had two options for the location presented to them by Joe Mrak from Securitecture during their work session last Thursday.
They decided to go along with a recommendation from the Sheriff’s Department and put the new jail west of the current facility and have it run north and south. It was generally felt the option chosen had more advantages than the other option considered which would have put the new jail northwest of the current jail and would have had it running east and west.
Commissioner Terri Norris voted no on both motions after she raised questions to Mrak about the number of piers that would be used and possible future annexation of the land by the City of Coldwater. She also felt the design had some wasted space.
The new jail would be able to hold 210 beds and be over 56,000 square feet.
The budget for the new jail is scheduled to be presented during the Commissioners work session August 1. The County’s bonding attorney will make a presentation for the bonding of the new jail during their work session August 23, 2019.
