Potter County leaders are confronting a costly and long-deferred decision: whether to continue patching up a crumbling, overcrowded jail or invest in a new facility that could serve the county for decades.
That discussion advanced Wednesday, Aug. 6, during a public workshop where commissioners heard a detailed presentation from the county’s jail consultant, Kenny Burns, CEO of Burns Architecture LLC. The firm was hired in June to assess the current jail and develop long-term recommendations.
In the days leading up to the workshop, commissioners and staff toured the Potter County Detention Center, as well as Deaf Smith County’s newer jail, to evaluate conditions firsthand. The contrast was stark, said County Judge Nancy Tanner…