Jasper County buys land next to county jail - KOAM TV 7

Jasper County buys land next to county jail; to be used for parking lot

Jasper County commissioners vote to buy land next to the county's jail.

The property covers about a half block on West 4th Street in Carthage and it's going to cost $41,000.

Former Jasper County Sheriff Archie Dunn said the county's jail was over populated and needed to be expanded.

But county commissioner John Bartosh says the purchased land will be used for a parking lot.  He says the purchase is a good deal.

"We had it appraised for $38,000 - they counter offered at 43, or 4, and we came back at 41, and that's what we agreed on," says Bartosh.  "We don't need the property immediately.  We just thought that it was something that would be foolish for the county not to have their hands on it for future needs."

He says the county could've used eminent domain to get the land but county commissioners thought the process would've taken too long.

Bartosh says the county jail can still legally hold all of its prisoners though the number of prisoners may produce overcrowding.  He says expanding the jail may be a future option.