The Monroe County commissioners held a listening session over the weekend to hear feedback about the possibility of building a new justice center on Vernal Pike.
Residents at the session at the Will Detmer park Sunday expressed concerns about safety, traffic and property values. No one in attendance supported the idea.
Read more: County Commission delays voting on jail site
"At this meeting, there was universal opposition to this proposal," commissioner Julie Thomas said as the listening session wrapped up.
"When we had our public session at Ellettsville, there were folks who did support it and there were folks who were opposed for various reasons. So, that's an interesting contrast."
Last month, the county commissioners postponed a vote to approve a site off S.R. 46 and I-69 called North Park after learning of the Vernal Pike option.
The new jail will replace the county’s aging downtown facility.
Thomas said that the Bloomington and Ellettsville chambers of commerce support building the jail at the Vernal Pike property, which came up for sale in recent weeks. She said that the commissioners were doing due diligence by considering Vernal Pike.
"But part of our due diligence is talking to people who live in the area. And there are a lot of homeowners in this area, which is one of the reasons why it's not my favorite site," she said.
Read more: County council passes income tax increase to fund new jail
Retired resident Sheryl Langdon helped organize neighbors to show up Sunday. She says there's no good reason to build the jail in an area with so many homes.
"I oppose it, completely. There's no reason to have it here," Langdon said. "We have kids everywhere. People have investments, homes. I invested in this house to spend the rest of my life, to spend my golden years.
"I don't want to move again. I would have never bought the house if I had thought that might be a possibility. So, I'm definitely going to fight for it."
A work session to discuss the options is set for Oct. 22.
