The new Starke County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center will be finished in time for the May 22nd public dedication ceremony. Contractors are working through punch lists now for the new building east of Knox on State Road 8 and should have the final repairs done by the end of next week. Any lingering issues should be addressed before inmates move in on June 1st.
The Starke County Jail Building Corporation will shift focus to renovating the existing jail after the move is complete. Tentative plans call for the prosecutor’s office to move across the street to the courthouse and Starke County Community Corrections to occupy space at the downtown facility. The extent of those renovations will be determined by how much money is available once the jail project done. Commissioner and building corporation president Kathy Norem says some electrical and heating and cooling issues at the courthouse need to be addressed as well before a move can be orchestrated. Money from the jail bond cannot be used for that work. County officials are still getting estimates as to the scope of that work.
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