Commissioners’ Plans for the Smith County Jail

TYLER – The Smith County Commissioners Court will hold a meeting Tuesday at 3:00 to talk about new plans to renovate and expand the Smith County Jail. There is a chance the court will vote on a new design plan for the jail without needing to put it on the ballot. This is called certification of obligation. According to KETK, the latest design plans come from Smith County Commissioner Jeff Warr, with a $33 million dollar price tag at a time when the court is trying to balance the budget. For the past few years, inmates have been shipped to nearby county jails to alleviate the Smith County Jail’s overcrowding problems. But transportation and housing has cost tax payers millions since 2004 and the court is trying to decide if the new plan saves more money.