East Texas

By BETTY WATERS
Staff Writer

HENDERSON — Rusk County commissioners picked a Nacogdoches firm as construction manager for an approximately $14.5 million addition to the county jail.

County officials expect to sign a contract with J.E. Kingham Construction Co. within two weeks following the commissioners court selection Monday of the firm to serve as construction manager-at-risk.

“We’re anxious to get started,” said Precinct 1 Commissioner Bill Hale, who worked with a citizens’ committee that studiedjail needs and recommended the construction project.

The three-story addition will be constructed on the south side of the jail facing the courthouse. It is part of a package of jail improvements aimed at relieving overcrowding. Plans call for about $2 million to be spent later on remodeling the existing jail.

The addition and renovation together will almost triple the jail’s capacity to 282 beds by adding 192 beds. The bottom two floors will house 96 beds each, while the third floor will house a courtroom and offices for the Precinct 5 justice of the peace.

The courtroom will accommodate both justice of the peace court cases and district court trials. It will seat more than 100 people and have a 12-person jury box for district court juries as well as six-person juries for justice of the peace cases.

Previously, commissioners named Johnson and McKibben of Dallas as architect for the project, assisted by jail planner Gary Adams of Henderson.

The commissioners earlier issued $16 million in certificates of obligation to fund the project on the recommendation of the jail citizens committee.

Paying off the certificates will increase the tax rate about 3 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation, except for taxpayers age 65 or older whose taxes are frozen.

In an unrelated action Monday, the commissioners approved an application through East Texas Council of Governments for a three-year solid waste grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to fund a new position of a litter abatement officer and health inspector.

Grant funds requested are $30,000 the first year; $20,000 the second year and $10,000 the third year to help fund the salary, insurance, retirement benefits and supplies. If the county receives the grant, the county would provide $20,000 the first year; $30,000 the second year and $40,000 the third year.