Mark the date of August 7 on the calendar. It could prove to be a ‘big’ day in the history of Antelope County.
And then again, nothing may happen.
The Antelope County Board of Supervisors delayed action last week on a final decision whether or not to build a new jail.
Meeting July 10, the supervisors could not reach a decision on proceeding with construction of a new jail facility which comes with a price tag of $6.9 million.
At the same time, no decision was reached on how a new jail would be paid for. Hence, they delayed any action on the issue until August, seeking to hear more public input before making a decision.
Few options are available for the supervisors. The Nebraska Jail Standards have told the county the current jail systems will one day be forced to be closed when it is determined the county is not moving forward towards building a new facility to house prisoners. A committee composed of representatives from all county communities, including Elgin, has recommended the supervisors approve building a new jail and leave the task of paying for the facility to voters.
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