JENNINGS — The Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury has signed a contract with Meyer and Associates for the new parish jail.

The Sulphur firm will be paid $635,444 to provide design and construction administration for the construction of a new regional consolidated jail, according to Police Jury President Donald Woods.

“This is a big step in getting the project moving,” Woods said in making the announcement Wednesday. “This means we are moving closer and things are going to start happening.”

The next step will be the architect and design phase, Woods said.

Clearing of the property and a groundbreaking are expected to follow the design phase, he said.

The parish bought nearly 17.2 acres of land just off U.S. 90 west of Jennings for $261,758 last August after voters overwhelmingly approved a new half-cent sales tax to fund the maintenance and operation of the new 200-bed facility.

The parish received $10 million from the state to buy the land and build the facility. About $1.8 million in cash was made available upfront for the project, with the reminder of the $10 million to be disbursed as needed throughout the project.

Construction is expected to begin later this year and will take about two years to complete.

Plans for the new jail are based on a 2012 feasibility study that called for the replacement of the 65-bed facility, which officials have said is undersized, outdated, always filled to capacity and in need of costly repairs, including security measures.

(MGNonline)