Commissioners chose another jail site

After getting off to what turned out to be a false start, Bourbon County Commissioners on Thursday announced a site has been located for the new Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center.

A vote to proceed with the purchase of about six acres at 323 W. 20th Street was made after commissioners held two executive sessions to discuss the acquisition of real property. During the first 15-minute session, commissioners met with County Counselor Justin Meeks. During the 10-minute session that followed, commissioners met with Meeks, Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin and Bourbon County Undersheriff Ben Cole.

Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin arrived after the second executive session had begun.

Prior to the unanimous vote, Meeks said the property owners, Cullor Inc., have signed a contingency contract with a purchase price of $200,000 for six acres, more or less.

The contingencies involved with the sale of the property include soil samples, environmental study and a survey. The current property owner is asking for the property line to be moved to accommodate for an egress and ingress.

The seller has 60 days after closing to vacate the property. In the agreement, the county will use its equipment to move items belonging to the seller to another location within Bourbon County. Meeks said this was placed in the agreement because the seller doesn't have the equipment to move the items.

Also included is a 10-year "right of refusal" on an additional three-acre parcel located east of the site.

"The contingency is the commissioners would have to match whatever has been offered for that land," Meeks said.

He said if no offer is made and the county is interested in purchasing additional land, the county could have that conversation with Cullor, Inc.

Cullor, Inc. also is asking that an existing line of trees on the north side of the property remain and trees be planted along the northeast property line.

This is the second time the commissioners have signed a purchase agreement for land for the new jail. On Sept. 17, commissioners signed an agreement to purchase 13.7 acres for $190,000 along Jayhawk and Liberty Bell roads. Although city utilities were available at the site, it was located outside the city limits. Because a state statute requires county jails be built in the county seat's city limits, the city of Fort Scott would have had to annex the property.

On Sept. 29, commissioners voted to resume their site search after hearing several concerns the facility would be located too close to a business north of the site, and to the Christian Learning Center, located at 3200 Liberty Bell Road, south of Jayhawk Road.

On Thursday, Meeks made a comparison of the two sites.

"This is zoned commercial, high-end commercial," Meeks said. "The other property was zoned residential."