Fannin County Jail Facility Nears Completion

About four years ago, Fannin County Sheriff Kenneth Moore was sitting around his cramped office knowing he needed help to do his job the right way. Take, for instance, his outdated jail facility. At full strength he could have 22 deputies answer to him, yet stacked shoulder to shoulder all would barely fit in the current office space, and there was really no functional way to add room.
Moore learned that a $7.5-million estimate might entail the addition of 96 beds, but that number would not include any new office space, and the county tax base could not shoulder that sum. The suggestion of using a private contractor prompted an “RQF,” or request for qualifications, from a few companies, but that was it. A few months later, Moore received a call from project manager James Parkey of Corplan saying fundraising and additional pursuit costs were complete.
The proposed Fannin County Jail/Detention Center would have both a jail and a place to house local law enforcement. Moreover, there was ample room for expansion and support functions in the kitchen laundry and medical facilities. The $30-million facility would be built without the use of taxpayer dollars. The money was raised through the sale of revenue bonds, which would, in effect, allow other law enforcement agencies to help pay for the new corrections facility and local law enforcement offices.
The county judge and the commissioners came onboard along with Moore, who said he was making “the first $30-million decision of my life.” Moore had already decided to hire a professional management team to run the facility in order to free his staff to pursue law enforcement. All presently employed jail personnel will transfer to the private management team of Community Education Centers.
In June 2008, Hale/Mills began construction on the new 7,000-square-foot facility, which is set to open its doors in September of this year. The design calls for two independent buildings, including a Sally Port and a Sally Court, with a specific area set aside for taking in prisoners.
Fannin County is assured of the first 150 of the 432 beds. County inmates will be segregated from any federal bookings; thus the local jail population and federal detainees will not interact but will be under one roof.
“Small communities with part-time forces like Trenton, Leonard and Eckerd and all the 24/7 forces will transport all prisoners to the county,” Moore said. “And by the time any federal prisoners arrive, we should know their history, medical condition, language spoken, approximate check-in time, etc.”
“I’ll be tickled when we make the move, and not just for the additional space,” he continued, “but because some of the $300,000 we were spending can go to my deputies.” After about 20 years, the county will own the entire facility.
By Tom Stephenson