EPHRATA — A request for proposals for site preparation for the new Grant County Jail is tentatively scheduled to be issued in December. A preliminary plan for the new facility is in the works and is still subject to change due to construction costs, among other factors.

“That’s why it’s important for us to get this general contractor on board,” Grant County Central Services Director Tom Gaines said. “Because as we start to really detail all this stuff out, we’ll start getting pricing. And we’ll start to get a real idea of what our budget is going to look like, and then we’ll know if we’re overextended or not. We have a plan that we want to stick to.”

County voters approved a three-tenths of 1% increase in the county’s sales tax in 2019, with the money going toward law and justice projects including a new jail. Grant County Commissioners approved the sale of up to $90 million in limited tax general obligation bonds for the project in July.

Commissioners got a look at the preliminary plan Oct. 4. During that meeting Grant County Sheriff Ryan Rectenwald asked about a timeline.

“When is the shovel going to hit the dirt?” Rectenwald asked.

Gaines said county officials hope to be ready for construction by November 2023.

The preliminary design includes room for 512 inmates, with the potential to build a second unit, called a pod, for an additional 512 intimates. Some spaces, such as the rooms housing inmate property, would be built to accommodate both pods, since it’s cheaper to build the extra space now rather than try to expand it later, according to planners.

County officials purchased the now-closed Ephrata Raceway and some adjoining property as the jail site. The property is adjacent to State Route 282 just across the street from the Ephrata Walmart.

“(The building) is set off the property quite a bit,” Gaines said. “You might be able to see the roofline. But as you’re driving into Ephrata, the jail isn’t going to stand out.”

The current plan includes a lot of room for inmates with behavioral health or mental health challenges, including a large area where people can be put in isolation. The isolation area includes rooms where air does not circulate outside the room, called negative pressure. They would be available for inmates who might be suffering from communicable illnesses.

Commissioner Rob Jones said during the Oct. 4 meeting that county officials should use caution when discussing behavioral and mental health treatment. Treatment options that can be offered at the jail are limited, Jones said.

Currently, the jail design includes a space for emergency management, which could and would be activated in the case of a major emergency. There’s also a free-standing building to house evidence and equipment, but Gaines said whether or not that’s built now, or deferred, will depend on construction costs.

The plans are still subject to some changes, Gaines said. He cited the example of offices for detectives, which may be moved closer to the evidence processing area.

“It’s still a work in progress,” Gaines said.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com. Download more news and sports on the Columbia Basin Herald app - available for iOS and Android devices.