(Guthrie Center) Guthrie County residents head to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots for the $8.7 million Guthrie County Jail referendum.
Patrons are voting on a proposed 14,000 square foot addition adjacent to the existing courthouse. Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright says the new jail provides improved inmate capacity to address classification and segregation requirements to decrease the county’s liability risk. In addition to that, the new facility improves inmate transfer costs, rehabilitation, safety conditions, and overall workflow efficiency. The project also includes a new courthouse parking lot.
Sheriff Arganbright has held a series of informational meetings across the county beginning on January 7. He says the feedback has been positive. “There’s no question we need a new jail,” said Arganbright. “The new facility is 20-30 capacity, and I hope that’s’ big enough. It’s costing the taxpayers a lot of money to house inmates outside the county.”
Early voting began on February 3. The polls on Tuesday open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. The referendum needs a 60-percent majority to pass.
