Owen County commissioners vote to pursue 17‑acre site for new jail pending due diligence

The Owen County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with pursuing a roughly 17‑acre parcel west of Walmart as the preferred site for a new county jail, contingent on survey, soil testing and zoning reviews. The board directed staff to present the purchase to the county council and to begin contracting for borings and environmental testing if the council concurs.

The commissioners said the site, described during the meeting by a speaker who presented the sellers' information, would avoid the foundation and retaining‑wall costs discovered at a previously considered quarry property and already has utilities nearby, giving the county potential cost savings on sewer, gas and water connections. The sellers named in the presentation were Susan Shorefield and Deborah Harkrider; the letter read at the meeting described a proposed purchase price of $90,000 per acre and noted the county would pay for a survey and required tests and that a 2% commission would be paid to Keith Realty.

Commissioners and staff stressed that the vote to "move forward" was limited to pursuing the purchase and completing due diligence, not a final acquisition. One commissioner summarized the board's position as seeking to resolve a long‑running need for a replacement jail—"this is our fourteenth year" of effort—and to avoid the larger stabilization costs that surfaced at the quarry location. The board instructed staff to bring the request before the county council at its next meeting; if the council approves, contractors will be engaged for testing and the county will draft purchase paperwork.

Concerns raised during the discussion included possible unseen foundation costs at alternative sites (retaining‑wall costs were cited), the need for surveys and environmental testing, and implications for county insurance and liability while the old jail remains in use. The board noted that, if the purchase proceeds, other county parcels (including the site of the current jail) could be considered for sale to help fund construction and that acquisition would signal to state partners the county's intent to build a new facility.

The motion to proceed (to present the purchase to council and begin required due diligence) was made and seconded from the floor and carried by unanimous voice vote. Next steps: staff will seek borings and environmental studies and the county will present the proposal to the county council at its upcoming meeting for appropriation or additional direction.