Henderson County Jailer Bruce Todd says expanding the Henderson County Detention Center is necessary so that the facility remains financially solvent.
Todd presented an early plan Tuesday to the Henderson County Fiscal Court for an addition to the jail that would add 100 beds. He asked that the Fiscal Court give an approval for him to continue the process of putting a plan in place, which it did.
He said the state Department of Corrections gives estimates for facilities based on a per-bed cost, which is $75,000, leaving the proposed expansion at a cost of $7.5 million, though it could increase.
HCDC remains at capacity or close to capacity. As of Tuesday, Todd said HCDC is housing 148 local, 127 state and 206 federal prisoners.
HCDC pays $30 a day to house local prisoners, Todd said.
When the jail houses a state inmate, it receives $34 a day; federal prisoners bring $68 per day to HCDC, Todd said.
Todd said the expansion would most likely house federal prisoners, which if it were filled could bring in $2.4 million in revenue per year.
Todd said he has had to turn down requests other jailers in the state and around the nation looking for a place to house prisoners.
“Ever since I’ve been in office, I’ve been turning down revenue,” he said.
Currently, he said the local jail is one of the few in the state that is in the black, but he believes it must expand if it is to remain so. He said continuing to turn down housing prisoners, especially federal prisoners, is a loss of revenue that could become a deterrent in keeping the jail profitable.
Todd said he will return to Fiscal Court most likely at the second meeting in April with detailed drawings of the proposal, along with a more precise cost estimate.
If the Fiscal Court approves, he will then put out for bids and then award bids, which would occur at a later court meeting, he said.
The expansion would be paid for with bonding, which would need to be approved by the Fiscal Court after the bid is awarded, the jailer said.
He said he’s hoping for an October construction start date.
