By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
Moseley Architects will design a new jail annex for the county to deal with overcrowding.
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners voted Monday evening to authorize County Manager Gary Page to negotiate a contract with the firm, which has designed detention facilities and other government facilities in several states.
Page said the facility will likely house around 160 inmates and will be built away from downtown Salisbury. He noted the price of property in the downtown makes it essential to locate elsewhere.
Among projects the firm has designed is the Sampson County Detention Center where Rowan currently leases up to 50 beds a day.
Page said the county is currently keeping around 30 prisoners in the Sampson facility. He noted that Sampson officials had tried to end the arrangement, but Rowan has a contract.
Commissioners plan to put a referendum on a quarter-cent local sales tax on the ballot in November to pay for the jail. If it fails, commissioners would likely have to raise taxes, since the county is under orders from the state to provide more jail space.
In other matters, the board:
– Authorized Page to negotiate a contract with HDR Engineering to provide engineering and planning for a new lined cell at the Rowan County Landfill.
The new cell is expected to cost $7 million-plus and will be ready for use by the summer of 2011.
– Avoided taking sides in a dispute over naming an unnamed road off Goodnight Road. Competing factions wanted either Bikers Lane or Daffodil Lane.
The board opted to go with Badger Lane, the neutral recommendation of the county planning staff.
The lack of a name had apparently held up getting electricity turned on at a new home.
– Honored Tim Bost, who retired June 30 from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office after more than 30 years.
Sheriff George Wilhelm presented a plaque to Bost, who served as a major.
Bost’s family members were on hand for the presentation, including the reading of a resolution. He received a standing ovation.
– Agreed to delay approval of a one-year contract with Johnny Love of Faith for continued mechanical upkeep of the sheriff’s vehicle. The delay will give the manager time to look at other options.