A committee appointed by Lincoln County Fiscal Court to study the possibility of building a new county jail will schedule its first meeting late this week, said County Judge Executive Buckwheat Gilbert.
At the Sept. 11 fiscal court meeting, Jailer David Gooch urged the court to move ahead in its determination whether to build a new jail or close the existing one and pay other counties to house Lincoln County prisoners. Gooch suggested the committee appoint a secretary who would help prepare a list of questions pertinent to the issue, an information packet with relevant documents and schedule follow-up meetings.
If the 15-person committee recommends building a new jail, it also would advise where to build and the estimated cost of construction.
Gilbert said county government has been preoccupied by another project - consolidation of 911 centers in Lincoln and Garrard counties.
Meanwhile, time is ticking down on an Oct. 19 deadline that the Department of Corrections set for the county to report its plan to correct deficiencies at the outmoded jail, which is constantly overcrowded.
