The new Ashe County law-enforcement center and jail passed its final inspection yesterday, and authorities plan to start moving inmates in today.
"It's been a long arduous process, but we're finally to the end of the road and we're moving in, and we're tickled to death," Sheriff James Williams said yesterday. "It's a morale boost (for employees). It's more humane for the inmates. It's better all around. In the long run, it's cheaper for the taxpayers of the county."
Construction cost $11.5 million and started in December 2007. But the planning started eight years ago when a judge told the county that it had to improve its jail. State jail officials also told the county that it needed a new or improved jail.
The county spent about $10,000 last month to house its overflow inmates, mainly in Alleghany County. Williams said that once everybody is settled, the jail will offer space for inmates from other counties, generating income for the county instead of an expense.
The old jail, built in 1973, had 17 beds. It could hold up to 34 inmates a day, but typically needed to house more than 40 inmates on any given day.
The new jail has 165 beds. A control tower offers views of five cellblock areas, and there are more than 70 security cameras.
The three-story building is also the new home of the Ashe County Sheriff's Office and the magistrate's office. In addition, it is the county office of the N.C. Highway Patrol and the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles.
The 911 communications center is expected to move in next week.
People driving up the front entrance of the Ashe County Courthouse will see the law-enforcement center and jail to the right.
County voters rejected a land-transfer tax to pay for the jail. County officials raised the property tax by 3 cents for every $100 in property value to pay for it, starting three years ago. That put the county's property-tax rate at 42½ cents.
County Manager Dan McMillan said that the state of the economy helped the county get a good deal on construction costs. Jail construction typically costs about $250 to $350 a square foot, he said, but this jail was built for less than $170 a square foot.
"We try to stretch every dollar we can," he said.
mmitchell@wsjournal.com
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