VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Barnes County jail committee has agreed to issue two separate, Request for Proposals, to see what the estimated cost would be to build a joint law enforcement center and jail.

Committee member Cindy Schwehr said the first proposal would get the estimated cost to build a jail inside a joint law enforcement center that would house the Sheriff, Police and 9-1-1 dispatch center.

The second proposal would only be for an estimate on building a 40 bed jail facility.

Committee Chairman Bill Carlblom asked Barnes County State’s Attorney Tonya Duffy to put together these proposals and then issue a public notification to prospective architects and contractors to get the estimated cost of building these structures. Duffy said the Request for Proposals will be issue in June or earlier.

The current jail is 110 years old and has lost several certifications to house inmates longer than four days. Barnes County Jail Committee member Sheriff Randy McClaflin said transportation costs are higher since the jail lost its certification from the state of North Dakota.

Barnes County resident Jack Ertelt asked the committee how the county plans to fund the construction of this proposed facility? And if the state will kick in a portion of the funding?

Barnes County Commissioner John Froehlich said one plan is to bond out the funding of the project over a twenty to twenty-five year period.

Barnes County Jail Committee Chairman Bill Carlblom said there will be no state funding and there appears to be no grants available to help fund this proposed project.