Jail, Justice Center to Be Built In Industrial Area

AUSTIN, Minn. — After more than two years of deliberation, officials decided to build a new jail and justice center at an industrial park that will allow the Austin Police Department and Mower County Sheriff’s Office to be housed in the same building.

Officials have been under pressure to make a decision about the site of the new facility because the county jail is filled to capacity. The county is currently housing about 18 inmates in a facility in Osage, Iowa, and has about 45 prisoners on electronic home detention, according to officials.

In addition, the Minnesota Department of Corrections is forcing the jail to change from a two-year maximum detention facility to a 90-day detention facility by April 2007, according to reports. The majority of offenders in the county jail are serving sentences greater than 90 days.

The DOC is also requiring that the county jail create room to offer rehabilitative services, such as education programs and exercise facilities, which would reduce the jail’s housing capacity.

Officials say construction of a new justice center will cost about $35 million with annual operating costs of about $1 million. A design for the new facility is expected by July.

Building on the city-owned Cook Farm industrial park will reduce the project’s cost because it will not require the purchase of land. Other proposed site options included Austin municipal airport property and a site in downtown Austin.