(Guthrie Center) The Guthrie County Jail project has been put out for bids.
Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright says it will take a couple of weeks before the bids come, and if everything goes as planned, they will break ground on October 15.
“Our jail is still full, and we’ve had to make it work because other jails wouldn’t take in other inmates because of the COVID virus,” said Arganbright. “We’ve taken precautions because we’re all in one area in the downstairs of the courthouse including dispatch. The new facility will alleviate the crowding.”
This past March votes approved the $8.7 million referendum by an overwhelming margin. The project includes a new Sheriff’s Office and jail addition to the courthouse, along with improvements to the courthouse parking lot. The 14,000 square foot addition provides improved inmate capacity to address classification and segregation requirements. In addition to those improvements, the addition will also improve inmate transportation costs, rehabilitation and safety conditions, and overall workflow efficiency.
