Franklin County jail tax election set

Franklin County voters can expect to go to the polls in July for a special sales tax election to raise money to expand and operate the county jail, the county judge said Thursday.

Rickey Bowman said the Quorum Court has given him authority to prepare ordinances calling for an election July 11 on whether to approve a three-eighths percent sales tax and a oneeighth percent sales tax.

If passed, revenue from the three-eighths percent tax would go to pay off bonds that would be used to finance construction of a 90-bed wing and to renovate the current sheriff’s office and jail.

Another one-eighth percent sales tax would be sought for the additional expense of operating a larger jail.

Bowman said the Quorum Court will consider the ordinances at its next meeting April 13.

Quorum Court members have been working for months to come up with a way to improve the county’s 43-year-old jail that is in violation of state standards and is overcrowded and understaffed. The state has threatened to close the jail if the county won’t make improvements.

The jail was built to hold

24 inmates but was holding 35 on Thursday.

Under the county’s plan, bond underwriter Stephens Inc. would issue up to $5 million in bonds to finance construction of the jail improvements. An architect hasn’t been chosen for the project, but the cost each of the two candidates quoted in presentations to county officials last month was less than the $5 million cap, Bowman said.

Representatives for both firms proposed to build a two-level inmate holding addition onto the existing jail, renovate the current lockup section for a kitchen, laundry, housing for trusties and a court hearing room, and upgrade the sheriff’s office.

“I think that is the best solution we have now under our present tax structure,” Bowman said.

SouthBuild LLC. of Collierville, Tenn., estimated it could build a 90-bed expansion for $4.9 million. Biggerstaff Minden and Associates of Fort Smith estimated a cost of $3 million for an 84-bed project.

Building on to the existing jail located on the Ozark courthouse square, Bowman said, would be less expensive than building a new structure on county property near Interstate 40 in Ozark, which was estimated at $8.8 million.

With a three-eighths percent sales tax, which would generate about $650,000 a year, the county could pay off the $5 million debt in 10 years, he said.

It is uncertain how much of the one-eighth percent tax the county could use for operating expenses if voters approve it. Bowman said that, under state law, money from that tax would have to be shared with the municipalities in the county based on population.

Quorum Court members asked Bowman to find out whether the municipalities would waive their shares of the tax and let the county use it for jail operations. Bowman said he spoke with officials in Ozark, Charleston and Altus but didn’t know whether they would approve the waiver.

A one-eighth percent sales tax in Franklin County would generate about $216,000 a year. The county’s portion would be $123,000, Bowman said. That would be added to the $650,000 the county has budgeted this year for jail operations.

Bowman said he didn’t know Thursday whether the additional $123,000 would be enough to operate the larger jail.