Less than six years after Comal County opened its brand new $72 million jail, the county is exploring the possibility of expanding it. The jail is nearly at its capacity of 600 beds with all county inmates.
KSAT has reported on the population explosion happening in Comal County over the last several years. More expected growth is on the way.
Earlier this month, Comal County Commissioners listened to a presentation and began considering what a jail expansion could look like.
An expansion could vary from an additional 274 to 548 more beds, which could range between $75 million to $174 million.
Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds told KSAT that it can take years for jail expansions to happen, so getting a head start on cost projections is important for saving taxpayer dollars for construction and housing inmates in other jails.
Reynolds said the county’s population boom was not expected when the jail opened in 2020.
“In the future, cost per bed or per square foot is just going to keep increasing, but if we build something large enough for the future needs, that may be the best course for the county,” Reynolds said. “But (the) county is reviewing. Just so, you know, several options.”
Planning to conception to ribbon cutting can take years, which is why commissioners are starting to lay the groundwork.
“We’re trying to the look at future,” Reynolds said. “You don’t want to have to address this five years down the line, six years down line. Let’s get it, see where we are and make it last for some length of time, so we don’t keep burdening the taxpayers.”
Commissioners have not yet addressed how they will pay for any possible expansion. Anyone can listen in to the latest presentation on the jail expansion on the commissioners page.
More related coverage of this story on KSAT:
