Sites for new jail in Monroe County to be discussed at public meeting
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — Leaders from Monroe County, the city of Bloomington and the town of Ellettsville will come together Tuesday to seek public input on where to put a new county jail.
The public meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Nat U. Hill room of the Monroe County Courthouse, 100 W. Kirkwood Ave., according to a news release from Dina DeLawter-Myers, office manager and public information coordinator for the Monroe County Commissioners’ Office.
Representatives from Columbus, Ohio-based architecture, engineering, surveying and construction firm DLZ will present information on the four potential jail sites. DLZ has an Indianapolis office.
Statistics from 2016 to 2017 showed a 53% increase in inmates booked into the Monroe County jaill, and the commander cited people struggling with drug and alcohol addictions. The county agreed to a cap of of 278 inmates after a 2008 class-action lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana.
The release says the county has four potential jail sites but did not specify the locations. News 8 reached out to DeLawter-Myers by email for the information.
Previous online reports have listed these potential locations:
- Property that the county owns east of Rogers Street and south of pharmaceutical company Catalent.
- Bloomington’s Hopewell neighborhood, the site of a former IU Health hospital, at West Second Street and South Rogers Street.
- Two private properties, which have not been disclosed, in the I-69 corridor.
Penny Githens, president of the Monroe County Commissioners, and Julie Thomas, vice president, said in a statement that they want to hear from “individual stakeholders” and “community leaders who will be directly impacted by the siting of this justice campus.”
The meeting will be available via videoconference on Zoom. The Meeting ID will 165817, and the Passcode will be 854 3520 7695.