A brief discussion at the Coweta County Commission meeting Oct. 20 led to the approval of a committee to review upcoming submissions for a future county jail expansion project. The committee will include representatives from the sheriff’s office, the county finance department and the county commission.

Commissioners at the Oct. 6 meeting voted to authorize a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a needs assessment and space analysis for a future expansion of the county jail. The board also voted to appoint the five-person committee to review the RFQ submittals.

The committee includes Sheriff Mike Yeager, Commissioner Tim Lassetter, Blake Adcock and Lenn Wood from the sheriff’s office and Hans Wilson from the finance department.

The RFQ will provide the mechanism for interested firms to submit their credentials for review. Those deemed by the committee to be qualified for the work will be asked to submit a Request for Proposal for the project once the funding is in place.

The expansion project would require voter approval of an extended 1-cent sales tax. The current Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax (SPLOST) will expire in 2012.

Both Yeager and county administrator Theron Gay and the Oct. 6 meeting said that planning for the jail expansion had been a long-term endeavor.

Responding to questions Oct. 6, Yeager said the jail currently houses 350 inmates and that additional planned accommodations will bring the total to more than 400 beds. Yeager said the jail would eventually need to accommodate another 300-350 beds.

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