Ellington

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — A new 600-bed jail probably will cost about $19 million, an architect told supervisors in Lee County.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports (http://bit.ly/15mY3D9) Mike LeBlanc of MWL Architects told the supervisors and Sheriff Jim Johnson that his estimate includes site utilities and development, buildings, furniture, architecture and engineering fees and hiring a construction manager.

LeBlanc's presentation came at Monday's meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

His company, based in Lafayette, La., built the Alcorn County Justice Center and the Chickasaw County Regional Detention Center.

LeBlanc says the company's analysis shows the current 202-bed jail — built in 1995 — was undersized at the time it opened.

Johnson said county leaders should learn from short-sightedness involved in its construction. The facility was criticized in a Lee County grand jury report that called for upgrades.

"It started as a 350-bed facility," he said. "They kept cutting it and cutting and cutting it until we had a 200-bed facility."

No timeline for construction of a new jail has been set but Johnson said a plan could be completed within a year.

Board President Bobby Smith questioned LeBlanc's estimate and said using county employees for some of the work could cut costs.

"I think we can do it for less than that," Smith said.