AUGUSTA, Ark. — The almost 50-year-old Woodruff County jail struggles to stay open and in compliance with rising state standards.
But Friday, the Delta county broke ground on a brand new facility.
Before you walk in the door to the current Woodruff County Jail, Sheriff Phil Reynolds can spot problems.
“Our exercise yard, it’s right beside the street. You see how close that car is that just drove by? That’s why I have trouble with contraband,” Sheriff Reynolds said.
Once inside, the concerns move from contraband to safety.
“My trustees can hear radio traffic, officers have no privacy,” he said.
“See how narrow our hallways are?”
The cells are dark, cannot handle inmates with disabilities and the one activity room serves as a holding area, attorney consultation and visiting quarters.
“It’s not hard to see why we need a new facility at all,” Sheriff Reynolds said.
Those issues are all state standard violations.
In the spring of 2020, they’ll be leaving the jail and moving the sheriff’s office, detention center and dispatch to a new facility down the street at Gregory and 9th St. in Augusta.
The brand new 13,000 square foot detention center will hold 40 inmates, up from 23 at the old jail.
“When you wake up all the other years and there’s nothing but field over there and one day you might have to wake up and there’s a detention center,” Donald Miller said.
Miller watched county officials break ground on the 5.5 million dollar facility just outside his front yard Friday.
“We not for it, but there’s nothing we can do,” Miller said.
Back in 2017, the people voted to approve a 1 cent sales tax to construct and maintain the new detention center.
Despite four public meetings before the issue passed, Miller said he and his neighbors haven’t been heard.
“Some people say it’s to better the neighborhood but, time will tell,” Miller said.
And they have 15 months to wait.
The time is creating a mixture of anxiety and excitement in the small county.
The Sheriff says along with housing more county inmates, they could also apply to bring in federal prisoners which would help the county make money using its new facilities.
Construction is expected to be complete in April of 2020.