VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Two months ago, the Barnes County Commission voted to move forward with the bid process for a new jail, with the option to include or exclude a law enforcement center, depending on the cost of the bids submitted to the county.

The last estimate released by Klein McCarthy Architects to build a new jail and sheriff’s office was at $15.9 million.

Barnes County Commission president Bill Carlblom said the commission will make a final decision once they see what the lowest bid is on the total construction cost set for Tuesday, June 30th. In April, he said if the bid goes over the $15.9 million dollar estimate the commission could exercise an option to eliminate the law enforcement center and just build a new jail. But recently, he said he was confident the estimate will come in below $15.9 million.

Carlblom said a special jail bid opening will be held Tuesday, June 30th in the commission chambers. The public is welcome to attend and to respect physical distancing during the meeting.
Barnes County Auditor Beth Didier said under the plan the county would seek a 30 year bond to pay for the new jail at a cost of $805,000 annually to keep the project within the 10 mill requirement by the county.

Under the proposed plan, a new jail and law enforcement center would be built east of the existing National Guard facility along the I-94 frontage road in Valley City.

In 2019, the Department of Corrections said the old jail is unsafe for staff and inmates and no longer meets state required standards.