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Bloomington & Ellettsville Chambers Urge County Leaders to Explore New Site for Jail
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce and The Greater Ellettsville Chamber of Commerce issued a joint statement to the Monroe County Commissioners and Monroe County Council this week to urge consideration of a new, more accessible, and cost-effective site option for construction of the new jail.
Bloomington Chamber President & CEO Eric Spoonmore and Board President of the Ellettsville Chamber Christa Curtis addressed the Monroe County Council on August 13 and the Monroe County Board of Commissioner’s meeting on August 14.
The two Chamber leaders presented to County Officials a new site option that is closer to the City of Bloomington. Spoonmore and Curtis also emphasized the fiscal impacts of land acquisition for the new jail. “I think it’s safe to say that these 100 or so acres of vacant land would come at a fraction of the cost of any of the other site options currently under consideration,” Spoonmore said at the County Commissioners meeting.
Spoonmore and Curtis told County Officials that the property located at 3241 W. Woodyard Road in Bloomington would meet the acreage requirements for the new justice center. The property owners expressed interest in selling the land to Monroe County Government and indicated that all necessary infrastructure including water and sewer are available to serve a new jail facility. In addition, owners of a separate property connected to 3421 W. Woodyard Road told County officials they have over 50 more acres of land to assist with jail construction. In total, over 100 acres of vacant land are available at the new site option proposed to County officials.
“We are aware that the County is considering the North Park site as the preferred option for the new justice center at a considerably higher price, and we believe that locating the justice center on that property would not only have negative fiscal impacts for taxpayers, but would be an underutilization of that important location in our community,” Curtis said. “As a gateway to Bloomington and Ellettsville, the North Park property could be incredibly valuable from an economic development standpoint.”
In light of the new site option at Woodyard Road, the Chamber leaders urged continued collaboration among the various property owners involved, elected officials, and local communities to identify and support the most strategic and cost-effective use of land for the new justice facility.
Read the full joint statement by the two Chambers of Commerce below.