The Monroe County Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a purchase agreement for the new county jail site.
The site is the North Park location off I-69 approaching Ellettsville. In a work session Tuesday, the commissioners said the North Park site has room for expansion.
County Commissioner Julie Thomas said Wednesday’s vote is a crucial step towards building a new jail as required after an ACLU lawsuit.
“This is an important moment,” she said. “I think you're right about that for sure, and it's taken a lot of work, a lot of people to get here, a lot of input from the public and a lot of staff time as well.”
Read more: County council passes income tax increase to fund new jail
Many sites were considered, including a plot on Fullerton Pike and areas within the city limits of Bloomington.
Critics of the North Park location say building a jail will deter others from building nearby and stifle economic development. But Commissioner Lee Jones believes the opposite will happen.
“I think that when that much of the county is moved there, it's going to be next to no time before various services will start locating there to serve those people,” she said. “I think this will be the catalyst for growth in that area, rather than a detriment to it.”
The purchase agreement now must go to the county council, which is expected to approve the funding and terms of the purchase. It is on the agenda for discussion November 12.
