VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The cost estimate to renovate a portion of the Barnes County Correctional Facility was estimated at $3.5 million. The cost estimate to build a new jail is about $8 million.

During the jail committee meeting on September 18th, a Barnes County resident asked if a sales tax could be used to help pay for the jail instead of raising taxes. Committee member Cindy Schwehr said the county can’t implement a sales tax to fund the construction of a new jail.

Barnes County resident Glen Torgerson has worked at the James River Correctional Center for 28 years. He doesn’t want a higher tax bill, but believes Barnes County needs to find a way to build a new jail.

Members of the Barnes County Jail Committee approved of a motion to pursue every available grant or resource to build a new jail. A majority of the members believe renovating the jail at a cost of $3.5 million would be a waste of money being it doesn’t include new cell blocks or jail doors.

Jail Committee Chairman Bill Carlblom encouraged the committee to schedule a public input meeting to see what direction the community wants the county to take concerning the future of the Barnes County jail once cost estimates to build a new jail are available.