Gooding County Commissioners are looking into building their own jail facility to replace their current one that they consider inadequate. 

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Yesterday the commissioners,  along with County Sheriff Shaun Gough, heard a presentation from Walt Femling  of Rocky Mount Corrections.  The preliminary plan would call for 150 beds  in a 27,500 square foot building located on the outskirts of Wendell at a cost of between 7 and 8-million dollars.  However, instead of having to get voter approval for a bond, the facility would be leased from private investors at a cost of about $1.15-million dollars a year.  The lease would be on a yearly basis and therefore would not require voter approval since it would not be what is considered a “long term” debt.  Sheriff Gough says based on current situation with many of the prisoners being housed out of county, Gooding County could save about half a million dollars a year.  Gooding officials say they like what they see so far and plan to continue looking into it.

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