Pawnee County debuts new jail

Dozens of Pawnee County residents attended a Friday ceremony to unveil the county’s new jail.

Sheriff Mike Waters cut a ribbon — actually, sheriff’s tape — before letting the crowd inside for a tour.

“This new jail, it was a thing needed,” Sheriff Mike Waters told the crowd. He thanked citizens for supporting the jail’s construction and dedicated it to county residents.

“Present and past (county) commissioners did an excellent job in communicating with this county and getting this started,” said Lynn Wells, Pawnee County public programs authority chairman.

County inmates have been housed in the same jail inside the Pawnee County Courthouse since the 1930s, Wells said. That jail was built for 50 inmates, and the new jail can hold about twice as many inmates.

The county borrowed $8.2 million in bonds to pay for the new jail, which is next door to the courthouse, Wells said. The bond is being repaid with a one cent county sales tax.

Smith-Doyal Construction and Spirit Architecture were in charge of the project.

Inmates will be transfered to the jail soon, Waters said.

“The time is here,” Waters said. “(I’m) very, very glad.”