Commissioners Approve Information Packet for Jail Planning Consultant
April 6, 2007

Smith County commissioners on Thursday approved an information packet to send to the county's jail planning consultant. The detailed information, gathered by Buildings Task Force member Martin Heines, will be sent to Carter Goble Lee and incorporated in both a master plan and a jail plan.

"In order to save the county money, we're providing the factual information," Heines explained. "They will do the evaluation."

The information includes such things as zoning, utilities and ownership of properties within the two downtown sites tentatively chosen for a new jail.

Heines, a real estate professional volunteering his services to the county, had the help of the city of Tyler and the Smith County Appraisal District in gathering the facts CGL has asked for.

"I think he's done an incredible job," Commissioner Bill McGinnis said following Heines' presentation. "It couldn't have been done more professionally."

Commissioner JoAnn Fleming agreed, and said the information will help move the planning process along.

"The clock is ticking very loudly," she said, citing plans for a jail bond election in November. "We still have a design phase to go through."

Commissioners will not hold a meeting Monday. Their next scheduled meeting is Monday, April 16.

Written in the Tyler Courier-Times Telegraph.

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