By PAT NEWMAN
pnewman@thecititzennews.com

The Fayette County Facilities Authority signed a bond resolution Thursday to begin the process of issuing $58 million in revenue bonds to build and equip a new county jail and courthouse.

Debt service is estimated at $5 million per year for 30 years.

The preliminary designs for the new jail should be ready for review this week with construction expected to begin in December, according to county attorney Bill McNally.

Mary Shaver, one of three members of the Facilities Authority, called the plans well-conceived noting that the “wanna haves were weeded out from the needs.”

Fellow member Jack Smith noted that the design segregates the prisoners from the judges and the public and also allows for expansion.

Estimated construction time is two years, the authority said, with 18 months spent on building the new facility and another six months spent renovating the old jail to house the sheriff's offices. Robinson Humphrey Company, Inc. has been selected to conduct the bond sale.