Published: January 06, 2009 05:26 pm         

County jail nearly finished

Project should be done by the end of February, commissioner says

The new Payne County Jail likely will be done by the end of February, Payne County Commission Chairman Gloria Hesser said at the commissioners’ weekly meeting Monday.

She said those plans could change considering new issues that arise.

“I think that’ll be our main focus the first part of the year,” she said.

The commissioners also inspected the current county jail Monday morning with other county officers. Commissioner Bill Deering did not attend the inspection because he had a prior engagement.

Hesser said the commissioners by law must inspect the jail annually.

“It’s about the same thing,” Hesser said of the old jail. “It will be so nice when we get in the new facility.”

Also at the meeting, Hesser maintained her position as chairman and Deering was reappointed as vice chairman.

Hesser reminded those in attendance that the filing period for the Payne County Fair Board is the last week of January, with the election on the morning of Feb. 14.

Those filing must live in the district in which they are running. Elections are at 9:30 a.m., and Hesser said the votes will be counted promptly at 10 a.m. Official time will be determined using the clocks in the different polling locations, which depend on the district.

The fair board was supposed to discuss bid evaluations for a new electronic message center at its Dec. 31 meeting, but County Clerk Linda Hatfield said that meeting was canceled.

The commissioners cannot evaluate or accept those bids until the fair board makes a recommendation.

Hatfield said she didn’t know when the bid would reappear on the commissioners’ agenda.

The commissioners will meet again at 9 a.m. Monday in the County Commissioners’ Meeting Room of the Payne County Administration Building, 315 W. Sixth.

     

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