MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - The Rutherford County Commission tackles a massive decision this Thursday regarding the future of the county's jail infrastructure.
County leaders must choose between two distinct structural options. The first proposal calls for workers to renovate the existing jail and expand its current properties on New Salem Highway. The second proposal outlines plans to construct a brand-new facility on a site adjacent to the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center off Highway 231 South Church Street.
Constructing the new 1,200-bed facility carries an estimated price tag of around $364 million. For context, that massive total represents an amount greater than the cost to build two and a half high schools.
Commissioner Robert Peay, who serves as the Chairman of the Budget, Finance & Investment Committee and sits on both the Public Safety and Public Works Committees, noted that this $364 million figure does not even include the price of land acquisition. He appeared on the Roundtable program Tuesday with hosts Wayne Blair and County Commissioner Rick Hall.
The budget committee could not reach a consensus on the proposals. And with the group split down the middle with a 3-3 tie vote, which sent both distinct proposals directly to the full commission for a final decision at this Thursday's meeting.
To help control the inmate population, Peay mentioned on the show he championed an initiative that allows non-violent, first-time offenders to bypass paying bail and avoid jail time. He stated this program keeps the jail population down and saves Rutherford County taxpayers between $10 million and $30 million annually in avoided housing costs.
Despite those savings, local officials say the state puts an unfair financial strain on local taxpayers. While it costs Rutherford County $83 per day to house a single inmate, the State of Tennessee only reimburses the county roughly $49 per day. With the county housing an average of 200 state prisoners daily, about $6 million every year is paid by local taxpayers. Hall, a former Smyrna Police officer and Public Safety Committee member, said that's money that could otherwise pay for public safety salaries, fire trucks, police cars, and essential county buildings. Hall adds state jail inspectors recently admitted to him that none of Tennessee's 95 counties can successfully house a state prisoner on the state's current per-diem rate, leaving local communities to pick up the tab.
The full Rutherford County Commission will deliberate the jail proposals this Thursday.
WATCH WAYNE BLAIR & RICK HALL'S FULL HOUR LONG INTERVIEW WITH COMMISSIONER ROBERT PEAY
