By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Authorities expect to begin housing inmates in the new Rowan County jail annex next week.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the 160-bed facility at 400 Grace Church Road Sunday at 1 p.m.
Prisoners could be transported to the satellite jail as early as Monday, Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten said.
The ceremony will cap off the jail’s construction, which has been in progress since Summit Developers were awarded the $4.7 million contract in October 2010.
Auten said the project cost a total of about $6 million.
Rowan County authorities have been in need of additional jail space for years, Auten said.
The annex, which is set up to require minimal staffing for operation, will relieve significant overcrowding at the existing Rowan County Detention Center, he said, and will house Rowan inmates that have been transported for housing in other counties.
Read tomorrow’s Salisbury Post for more details.