Alderman attempts to sway supes; Change of prison placement falls flat

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A rendering of the Attala County Sheriff’s Department by MWL Architects.
Layout by MWL Architects shows an overhead view of the jail layout. Courtesy Photo

January 10, 2013

Alderman attempts to sway supes; Change of prison placement falls flat

By Leslie N. Dees The Star-Herald The Star Herald Thu Jan 10, 2013, 08:26 AM CST

KOSCIUSKO — Kosciusko Ward 3 Alderman Robert Ellis spoked to the Attala County Board of Supervisors on behalf of the residents Monday morning about the Attala County Jail.

“I think we all know what I’m here to talk about,” Ellis, whose residents are effected by the building off of West Jefferson Street, said.

Understanding that the jail must be built within the city limits of the county seat, Ellis said he had another question to pose to the supervisors.

“I understand you are going to keep the maintenance barn,” Ellis said. “Why could you not remove the maintenance barn and move the jail up to West Jefferson? It would move the sheriff’s office up. It wouldn’t put everything up against that apartment complex.”

According to the layout of the jail, the Attala County Sheriff’s Department would be located behind the county maintenance barn with a separate driveway on West South Street and the jail following behind.

District 2 Supervisor and Board President Charles Fancher said the county would be tearing down a “perfectly good building.”

“It would be in plain site of where Holmes Community College is going in the (former Milwaukee Electric Tool Building),” he said.

After seeing a rendering of the sheriff’s department, Ellis said, “I like what you’ve done with it. The public needs to see it.”

He added that by taking off the driveway, they would also cut $175,000 off the project that could be used for something else.

“I’ve got folks calling me as an alderman and I told them I would come down here and see if we could do something about it,” Ellis said.

The supervisors said the drop off behind the maintenance shop would be very costly to level out.

“Everywhere we’ve looked. We’ve just run out of options,” District 1 Supervisor Eddie Womble said. “I don’t have a good answer.”

Ellis said he knows that the jail is necessary and didn’t want to stand in the way of the project.

“I don’t think the five of us like the way it’s laid out,” Fancher said, of the land tracts.

The estimated cost of the jail is $3.8 million. The facility will house the Attala County Sheriff’s Department and housing of approximately 65 inmates.

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