Renovations To Broome County Jail Proposed

Officials say a $6 million renovation of the Broome County Jail would save the county money, as the prison currently deals with overcrowding and medical infrastructure problems. Broome County Executive Debbie Preston’s budget proposal for 2014 includes a $1.6 million project to convert the jail’s gymnasium into dorm-style housing for 48 inmates, as well as a $4.1 million project to construct a 16-bed medical unit. The financial details of the projects were presented to Broome County Legislature on Monday, and a decision will be made on whether to authorize borrowing needed to fund the projects. Officials say the projects are cheaper than the alternatives of boarding out inmates due to overcrowding, and facing a shutdown of the jail’s current medical unit which no longer complies with state regulations. The new projects are expected to cut costs by $400,000 per year once completed.