U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Rural Development State Director for Michigan James J. Turner today joined local officials to celebrate the construction of a new jail in Wexford County, Mich.
“The safety and security of rural communities is very important to USDA,” said Turner. “This project will ensure that Wexford County has a facility that is efficient and adequately sized for the community as well as the prisoners.”
USDA Rural Development provided an $11.5 million loan through the Community Facilities program to support the construction of a 158 bed jail.
The current average prisoner count is 90 per day and the existing facility, which was built in 1962, only has 32 beds. A Jail Needs Assessment was completed and this project has been sized based on the projected prisoner populations over the next 20 years. The new building will be approximately 32,500 square feet and will house the jail along with the Sheriff’s department offices. Once completed the County will no longer incur the expenses or security risks related to moving and housing prisoners at alternate sites in the region.
USDA Rural Development State Director for Michigan James J. Turner was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009. USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, has a portfolio of programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Under the Obama Administration, USDA Rural Development has invested more than $7.2 billion in Michigan projects.