SCOTT COUNTY JAIL OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED

BENTON -- Scott County is going to get a new jail.

Voters overwhelmingly passed a half-cent county sales tax on Tuesday, with 3,443 in favor and 1,540 against.

The more groups county commissioners met with, the more positive they felt about the bond's passage, said Walter Bizzell, first district commissioner.

"Every time with left a meeting, we felt that this was going to pass," Bizzell said. "People were asking good questions."

The sales tax is expected to generate $1.5 million annually, said Martin Priggel, presiding commissioner.

Scott County officials said the result is evidence that they have learned from their mistakes. In 1995, a sales tax for jail construction was defeated 53 to 47 percent. The 1995 vote represented an 800-vote margin, Priggel said.

This time, officials had almost a full year to study proposals, visit other jails and meet with county residents. In 1995, they had four months to prepare before the vote, Bizzell said.

The present jail, built in 1932, is the oldest in Southeast Missouri. Renovations completed in 1971 could not be added to, Sheriff Bill Ferrell said.

The age of the jail caught many peoples' attention, Bizzell said.

"People didn't realize this jail was that old," he said.

With support that included fund raising for advertising and the city of Sikeston providing meeting facilities, the effort to promote the bond was well organized, Priggel said.

The most persistent questions asked by groups of county residents had to do with the jail's design, Bizzell said. No one wanted it to be too comfortable.

"One man said he didn't care if we put nine to a cell and wrapped it in barbed wire," he said.

Bizzell said he pointed out that beyond meeting federal requirements, the county will save money that can be used in other areas.

A key to passage was putting a time limit on the tax, Priggel said. It will be in force for eight years, after which voters would have to give approval once again for it to continue.

Revenues from the tax will be split, Priggel said. Half will go toward jail construction, with the other half helping to pay for housing Scott County prisoners in other jails while the new one is being built, he said.

For this year, more than $200,000 has been budgeted to transport prisoners to other counties and house them, Ferrell said.

A benefit of the new tax revenue will be an increase in the county's general fund, since housing and transport expenses can now be paid for from the sales tax, Bizzell said.

This allows commissioners to consider renovations for three rooms in the county prosecutor's office which are still unused due to fire damage, as well as much needed updates in the courthouse's electrical wiring.

Only one electrical outlet is in the courtroom, Priggel said.

During a civil trial last month, bailiffs had to unplug a vending machine in a hallway and extend a 100-foot extension cord to allow a jury to watch a video tape, the commissioner said.

Instead of waiting eight years for money to be collected, county officials would like to issue bonds so that construction could be completed within the next two years.

The investment banking firm George K. Baum & Co. of Kansas City will issue roughly $4 million in bonds to pay for construction.

County officials have promoted the half-cent sales tax as economical, since 25 percent of it is supposed to be paid by visitors, rather than Scott County residents.