Monroe County officials are considering a location in southwest Bloomington to build a new jail facility — and some residents aren’t happy about it.
Dozens turned up at a listening session hosted by county commissioners at the RCA Community Park on Sunday to register their opposition.
Read more: County to further research Thomson property as potential jail site
One woman who identified herself as Ayesha told county officials that she moved her family to the area to build a better life than she had growing up.
“If you build this jail right here, you will literally be putting what we're trying desperately to escape right in our backyards. So, I hope you'll take that into consideration,” she said.
The site — known as the Thomson property — is on the west side of Rogers Street and near the Switchyard and RCA parks.
Sheriff Ruben Marte acknowledged opposition to building the jail in the area but urged officials to come up with a solution sooner rather than later. He says the current jail in downtown Bloomington is deteriorating.
Marte also wants a larger facility to expand programing for mental health and substance abuse.
“One of the things for me to be proactive is I need more space,” Marte said. “We've got to make sure they don't go right back into the same cycle where they came from.”
A firm hired to design the new jail is reviewing three other sites in addition to the Thomson property in southwest Bloomington.
They include the former IU Health hospital and two other sites outside city limits.
