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Jackson County Sheriff suggests moving area jail

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By Sheri Melvold | Wednesday, December 13, 2006 1:16 AM CST | () comments

MAQUOKETA, Iowa — Jackson County Sheriff Russ Kettmann has suggested remodeling the former Andrew Jackson Care Facility for a jail after the mental health facility closed last year.

Supervisors have been negotiating with Hospice of Jackson County to rent the 40-bed facility, located near Andrew.

However, supervisors said they were not happy with the first proposal by Hospice. The agreement called for Hospice to pay $3,000 rent per month, but the county would be required to provide all maintenance, including snow removal and lawn work. Supervisors said it would cost the county about $3,000 a year to hire someone to do that. Hospice would pay for the renovations to allow between nine and 10 patients.

Supervisors said they will continue negotiations with Hospice, but did not rule out a jail possibility.

“Anything is possible at this point,” Supervisor Jack Willey said.

Kettmann said the current jail is not overcrowded, but does not have space to house women and juveniles.

The state jail inspector has said the county will have to do something to change its current visiting area and staffing. Now, one jailer is on staff, no matter how many visitors are there. The sheriff said they will have to address that issue in 2007.

The sheriff got a bid from an Iowa City architect to expand the present jail into the exercise yard for six more beds to house females.

“It was too high. They were talking about $500,000, and we would lose almost all of our exercise yard,” Kettmann said.

There was talk about adding another floor to the jail, but Kettmann said it would require two separate elevators, which would also be costly.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com.