TAHLEQUAH —
County crews will continue with site work around a new building on the grounds of the Cherokee County Detention Center.
District 2 Commissioner Bobby Botts, the Cherokee County Governmental Building Authority chairman, said more is gravel is needed to help with the drainage. Grading is also needed at the site.
A metal building was constructed earlier this year to house seized vehicles, as well as those owned by the detention center.
The board’s plans include fencing the building.
Botts said a 6-foot fence with three strands of barbed wire is expected to cost about $14 a foot. He anticipates 300 feet of fence will be needed, at a cost of approximately $5,000.
“We’ll get this site work done and then we’ll have someone come in and give us a firm amount on what the fence will cost,” he told fellow CCGBA members.
No action was taken on building the fence at Wednesday’s meeting.
Board members also heard a brief report from CCDC Administrator Loyd Bickel. Eighty-nine inmates were housed there Wednesday morning, and six of those were in the booking area being held for observation.
Fifteen of the inmates are women and four had immigration holds. Twenty are being held for the Department of Corrections, and five were sent to the DOC before the meeting.
Bickel also said the detention center has been recently visited by the state fire marshal and the jail inspector, with no major issues to report.
What’s next
The next regular meeting of the Cherokee County Governmental Building Authority will be Wednesday, April 7 at 9 a.m. in the conference room at the Cherokee County Detention Center.






