SPOKANE-- The public had its first chance to comment on where to put a new Spokane County Jail.
There are 11 possible sites for a new county jail.
The reaction from most people in those locations is they don’t want the jail in their backyard.
And among those sounding off is Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, who has already expressed his desire not to have the new jail built downtown next to the old one.
Thursday night’s meeting allowed the public to discuss the second study on Spokane’s jail situation.
There is no doubt there are crowding problems at the jail.
The first report named the downtown campus as the best option, but the newest report released late last year suggested an old gravel pit in Spokane Valley as the best location.
Sites in Airway Heights, Liberty Lake, and Medical Lake are also being considered.
The goal is to merge both studies, present it to the public, and have commissioners decide what to do.
Lt. Mike Sparber from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office says they haven’t decided one way or the other, but what they would like to see is the results come out and then sit down collectively and decide not only what is best right now, but what will also be best 25 years from now.
The concern is cost. A new, vertical jail could cost more than $265 million. A horizontal jail would cost about $30 million less, but that doesn’t include transportation costs.
Thursday night’s meeting could just be the beginning of a highly political battle over where to put the jail.
A vote by commissioners is expected in March. A vote by the public is expected in August.
