Wayne proceeding with justice center

WAYNESBORO, Tenn. -- Wayne County Executive Jason Rich said work could begin on a new criminal justice center within six months.

That's because county commissioners have voted to borrow $5.5 million for the pro--ject.

Rich said the proposed project is estimated to cost about $9 million.

He said the county had $3.5 million that it was planning to use for renovations and additions to the existing facility.

"We'll use that money with the $5.5 million to finance the criminal justice center,'' Rich said.

The proposed facility would house 130 inmates and the sheriff's office, as well as the circuit court and chancery court offices.

"It would also have two full courtrooms and a nonjury courtroom,'' he said.

County officials say the center would handle existing crowding problems in the jail as well as handle future needs.

Wayne County Sheriff Ric Wilson said the county jail is only licensed to house 41 inmates; however, that number is routinely higher.

Wilson said the county has at least 20 inmates housed in jails in other counties.

"We've got them scattered out everywhere across the state,'' the sheriff said.

He said some of the counties where the prisoners are being housed are more than 200 miles from Waynesboro.

"We're spending $35 per day per inmate to house the prisoners out of the county,'' Wilson said. "That adds up to more than $250,000 a year in housing costs.''

He said that amount doesn't count the cost of transportation.

"We can basically pay for the new center with what we're paying out right now to house prisoners and transport them in and out of the county,'' Rich said.

He said the proposed justice center would not only ease crowding at the jail, but at the courthouse as well.

"The bottom line is, we're running out of room (in the courthouse),'' Rich said.

He said the Nashville-based architectural firm of Barge-Waggoner is designing the justice center, which would be about 45,000 square feet.

The county has a verbal agreement for the purchase of 30 acres on the U.S. 64 bypass.

"If everything continues to go well, I really believe we could see some actual construction work beginning within six months or so,'' Rich said.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.