New Beltrami County Jail Recommended at Public Hearing

The first public hearing on the Beltrami County Jail project feasibility study findings was held Thursday, and with it came the suggestion of building a new facility. Opinions were made known by county commissioners and the public alike, hopefully bringing the board closer to making a decision regarding the future of the Beltrami County Jail.

It’s an extensive process that may come to a conclusion before the end of the year. The Beltrami County Jail project has kept commissioners and those at the Sheriff’s Office busy for the better part of 2022. Now, with the recent public hearing, they are one step closer on deciding what to do with the aging facility.

The board was initially presented with seven different alternatives by the group who conducted by feasibility study, Justice Planners. After reviewing what they provided at first, the group discussed what they thought would be the best option: build a new facility.

One part that is at the forefront of this decision for constituents and commissioners will be the hefty price tag attached to any of the options presented, such as a local option sales tax, and what the future of the facility could mean for the community.

The Beltrami County Board initially planned to make a final decision on which option they would go with, but that is now postponed until November 15th. During this extra time, the public comment portal is still active for constituents to give their opinions on the future of the county’s jail.

Another public hearing will be held on October 18th.