Paulding County Sheriff Jason Landers says he plans to hold a series of town hall meetings over the next few weeks throughout the county to seek the publics input in regards to placing a jail operating levy on the November ballot.
The meetings will take place at all eight fire departments in Paulding County.
The Paulding County jail closed in late 2008 after voters defeated an operating levy for the facility.
Paulding County has housed prisoners in Putnam County following the jail’s closure.
Approximately $344,000 was spent in 2013 to house Paulding County prisoners out of county. That amount is $100,000 more than what was spent in 2012 to house prisoners.
Under a current memorandum of understanding between the counties, Paulding County will pay Putnam County $250,000 annually through Dec. 31, 2015, to house prisoners as long as Paulding County’s jail doesn’t reopen.
Putnam County will receive the $250,000 annually regardless of the number of inmates housed for the year.