Two members of the Winona County Board of Commissioners, Steve Jacob and Marcia Ward, who represent the rural part of the county, agreed with Makstenieks, but commissioners Marie Kovecsi, Chris Meyer and Greg Olson voted to approve the design development phase.
Marcia Ward
Initially, construction was estimated to cost about $22 million. With increased construction costs for materials and labor, that estimate has risen to more than $28 million and, said Ward, will likely hit $30 million before the county ties a contractor down to a specific price.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections has downgraded the certification of the current jail to a 90-day male-only adult facility, and has said the current jail will be closed on Sept. 30 unless the county has a plan in place to replace the jail with a new facility.