Polk County Commissioners have their sights set on a new location for a jail and sheriff’s office that will include a total of 22.1 acres of site ready land where a future courthouse can also be built. 

The Polk County Board of Commissioners approved purchasing a 2.6-acre lot on Park Street in Columbus this week as well as announced plans to purchase another 19.5 acres adjacent to the site to build a new detention center and sheriff’s office.

Polk County Chairman Michael Gage said the 2.6 acres is a crucial component of a negotiation between the county and Island Creek LLC for another adjoining 19.5 acres. Gage said the site ready parcel currently being negotiated will expand the county’s ability to not only place the new law enforcement facility, but potentially help fulfill Polk government’s building and space needs for decades. Gage said the county anticipates having an agreement with Island Creek LLC in the next 30 days.

Commissioners held a special meeting on Tuesday, May 17 and directed county manager Marche Pittman to exercise an option to purchase 2.6 acres, located at 221 Park St., Columbus and to set a date for the closing. Polk is purchasing the 2.6 acres for $125,000. The county also approved amending its project budget ordinance for the new jail by $175,000, to include the $125,000 purchase and another $50,000 for other costs including surveying and appraisals.

Gage read a statement detailing Polk’s plans to purchase another 19.5 acres for the construction of the new jail and sheriff’s office.

“As you are all aware, we have been working on the feasibility, design, and site location for a new law enforcement facility since last year. Initially, the need for a quick turn-around and the desire to locate a courthouse on the site at a later date put us in a box that limited our choices for a location,” Gage said. “This need for expedition led us to the old prison property on Locust Street, which was the only location where the facility could have been constructed in the Columbus Public Service Zoning District. While this location would have ultimately worked, it wasn’t the optimal choice to place Polk County in a good strategic position. Commissioners identified this in the May 2, 2016 meeting and instructed the County Manager to move forward with the 4-H property, but pursue other options as well.

The 2.6 acres that the board of commissioners is considering purchasing tonight is a crucial component of a negotiation with Island Creek LLC for another 19.5 acres (part of parcel p73-152) for the Polk County law enforcement center. The site ready building site being negotiated expands our ability to not only place the law enforcement facility, but potentially help fulfill Polk County Local Government’s building and space needs for decades. We fully anticipate having an agreement with them in the next thirty days.

This transition to the new site for the Polk County Law Enforcement Center is a collaborative effort of this elected body and staff serving the needs of Polk County citizens in the present and in the future. The Polk County Board of Commissioners (is) very excited about this opportunity and (is) looking forward to more shared opportunities in the future.”

Polk County is moving quickly to replace the current jail, which opened in the early 1970s. The majority of commissioners in April approved having a new detention center under contract for construction by this November, which is when three of the five commissioners’ terms will end. The majority of commissioners also last month approved seeking a loan for the new jail and sheriff’s office, which has been estimated at $11 million. The county is now proposing a 60-bed jail facility and sheriff’s office. Previously the county was proposing up to a 100-bed facility, which the $11 million estimate by Moseley Architects was based on. The county has not said what the new estimate is based on the reduction of beds. The new jail will house female and juvenile inmates, which the current facility does not house.

Polk was previously negotiating with the 4-H Center to trade 6.5 acres on Locust St. in Columbus with the county’s former adult day building and 6.5 acres there on Carmel Lane to build the new jail and sheriff’s office. The county was proposing to give the 4-H Center $130,000 as well as move the Polk County Cooperative Extension Office to the Carmel Lane property.

With negotiations for the new location, which was formerly part of the Hatch Mill Milliken Plant property, the 4-H property negotiations will be off the table.

The county is currently proposing a two-cent tax increase to help pay for the new jail in the upcoming budget, which begins July 1.