The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Tuesday.

The meeting began with an informational technology update from David Garland of Guthrie Center Communications, and the Board approving a payroll change notice for a secondary roads department employee. The rest of the meeting was held in the courtroom, as almost 50 people gathered to discuss the law enforcement center addition project and whether the County should hold a referendum in November or March. Architect Mike Lewis from Shive-Hattery Architecture and Engineering gave the Board an updated packet with conceptual designs of the addition, and a cost projection for the County to not build a new facility and transport all their inmates out, which was a total estimate of $52,000,000 over 30 years. He also mentioned that the benefits of a new facility would outweigh the cost of the bond in 2028. The Board asked Lewis and Sheriff Marty Arganbright if they were both comfortable with the current designs, to which they said yes.

State Jail Inspector Delbert Longley spoke in front of the Supervisors, saying that the information that Lewis brought forward is what he would expect at this point in a jail project, and he is pleased with the design, “And I’m not going to get in between an argument with you and the sheriff, okay? That’s not what I’m here for, but really for the sheriff to give you a lot of operational decisions at this point, it’s not going to happen. I haven’t seen any sheriff that was able to really give a good opinion on how things were going to be operated at this point.”

Several business and community leaders voiced their support for a new jail, with no one speaking in opposition. Several supervisors voiced concern over not having enough time to promote the referendum if placed on the ballot in November, and reasoned that it could have a better chance of passing if it is a separate measure in March. Supervisor Everett Grasty said it’ll cost the County $400,000 if they push it to March, and he motioned for the bond language to be written for November, which died for lack of a second. Supervisor Mike Dickson then motioned for the vote to be held in March, which then passed on a 4-1 vote, Grasty opposing.