MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller says he's willing to put the prospect of a new jail to a vote when voters decide on the 2025 SPLOST.
It's the first official confirmation the county is considering replacing the 43-year-old facility. Sheriff David Davis said Monday the four inmates escaped from the oldest part of the jail, and he believes it could be part of the reason they got out.
Some county commissioners support a new jail, but two are still worried about the state of the current facility.
"Our staff folks, the deputies who are in there who are unsafe. It's understaffed. So, we've got to do something," Commissioner Elaine Lucas said.
Lucas says people who live in her east Macon district often come to her worried about conditions inside.
"They are fearful when you have jailbreaks. They are fearful when you have inadequate numbers," Lucas explained.
The low numbers already impact deputy response times. Now, they may have contributed to the escape early Monday morning.
Sheriff David Davis says fewer than 10 people were working in the jail on that particular shift. The optimal number is 30.
"We've not been able to have 30 people working in the jail on any shift in a long time," Davis said in a news conference Monday.
Commissioner Virgil Watkins says he's willing to vote to increase deputy pay again if the sheriff believes it will boost numbers. He just wants Davis to come to the commission and ask for what he needs.
The sheriff says he's working on staffing levels, but took the opportunity to emphasize the need for a new jail facility. Lucas agrees it's time for a new one and she's glad to support Miller's plan.
"Everybody's operating at a disadvantage. [It's] an old jail building that needs to be replaced," she said.
Lucas and Watkins say that could take years, and they say something must be done about the facility in the meantime.
"What I think needs to happen is we need an honest assessment of what needs to be fixed in that jail, a full-fledged inspection and what is the full cost of it," Watkins said.
Commissioner Bill Howell told 13WMAZ he believes a new jail should have been on the current SPLOST. He wasn't in office when voters approved it in 2016.
Miller says if Bibb County voters approve the SPLOST in 2025, the penny sales tax would take effect immediately. In August, county spokesman Chris Floore said he expects the jail would cost about $80 million.
Miller declined an interview on the plan, but sent this comment via text:
"My plan is to include a new jail in the SPLOST for 2025. The citizens of Macon-Bibb County can decide at that time if they support it or not."