Jail Study Complete | Video

Jennifer Joas | 8/1/2012

Too many inmates and not enough beds. That is the problem Burleigh and Morton Counties are dealing with, and it is going to take more than one meeting to solve it. Wendnesday night`s meeting was just the beginning. Both county commissioners and employees gathered to hear what Kimmee and Associates had to say about the future of the jails.

The firm studied each jail individually and considered expansions to the current facilities or a joint effort. The firm recommended building a joint jail because it would save with operating costs, staffing costs and utilities. Now it is up to each county commission to decide what they want to do.

"We don`t have a lot of time. We`re talking 2015- 2020; it`s not that far down the road. We have needs right now, and so it`s a little depressing to think we`re that far behind," said Jim Peluso, Burleigh County Commissioner.

"We need to break down both sides of the river and have both sides develop their own subcommittees to determine exactly how this is going to go forward from here," said Pat Heinert, Burleigh County Sheriff.

One of the concerns brought up at the meeting was which county will staff the building and who will own it. Those are concerns the counties plan on addressing during the subcommittee meetings.

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