Platte County is taking the first steps toward a possible $20 million expansion of the Platte County Detention Center. At the County Commission session Monday morning, Captain Erik Holland presented a request for proposals for engineering and architectural services for a possible jail expansion. The RFPs are due back May 1, at which time a committee made up of Sheriff’s Department staff will pick the top three contenders to bring to the Commissioners for further consideration. Holland noted that in this sort of project, the County isn’t obligated to choose the lowest bidder, but instead the most qualified and best candidate to provide engineering and architectural services. Resident Janet Stark questioned Holland on the price tag of the potential jail expansion, and Holland responded there truly wasn’t one yet. Though the jail expansion study conducted last year by Weber and Associates projected a potential cost of up to $20 million, it was a preliminary estimate. True costs could not be known until the project progressed into the design phase. The study recommended that due to projected population growth and other factors, the County would need a 300-350 bed jail facility over the next 20 years. The current jail has 153 beds, and operates at – and sometimes above – its functional capacity, prompting the Sheriff’s Department to commission the study. The Commission also approved a two-year agreement with GolfNow, an Orlando, Fla. based booking company. According to Director of Parks and Recreation Brian Nowotny, the contract will update the tee time booking software at Shiloh Springs Golf Course and will allow patrons to book tee times online and through their mobile devices. The contract will also include an upgrade to the golf course website and the course’s point of sale system.

The Platte County Citizen