By Dave Baumeister, County Correspondent
SIOUX FALLS – On Tuesday, Nov. 22, the Minnehaha County Commission heard the recommendation from Bob Thimjon, on behalf of the Juvenile Detention Center Task Force, to go ahead with that project and to follow the option of building a new facility.
Thimjon echoed what has been reported before about deficiencies in security and court facilities at the current JDC.
The task force also suggested the new name of the project be the Juvenile Justice Center, replacing the negative connotation of the word “detention.”
It had been said that the present 53-year-old facility which houses Minnehaha County juvenile offenders, as well as juveniles from 14 other counties, needed to be remodeled or replaced completely.
However, due to the disruptive nature of a remodel, Thimjon and the task force were recommending replacing the building.
On Oct. 18, it was reported that just about $1.5 million would be the difference between remodeling and building new on the proposed project that would cost right around $50 million.
The commission took no action at this time, but there was discussion as to how this proposal could be funded.
There commission will next be in session at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, in the third-floor meeting room of the Minnehaha County Administration Building.
