Jefferson aldermen are

looking into the cost of

tearing down the old county

jail since the county has

turned the property over to

them. Before that happens,

the public will get a chance

to see it.

At Monday’s meeting,

Jefferson Alderman Luther

Anderson said he had

talked with County Manager

Dan McMillan who said

that the county would help

the town with the project.

The town has heard an estimate

of what it might cost

to tear it down, Anderson

said, but bids might need to

be taken on the project. The

bid would include demolition

as well as dumping of

the material.

Town Manager Cathy

Howell will get information

about the possibility of

asbestos and lead paint in

the facility, which would

have to be dealt with prior

to demolition. She said

there will be a cost of about

$13 per sample of material,

and she is not sure how

many samples will have to

be taken.

The presence of asbestos

and lead paint would

determine whether or not

the material could be

buried on site. Anderson

said the roof will have to be

hauled away, but its possible

the rest of the material

could be buried on site to

save money in disposal.

Mayor Dana Tugman

said he had talked to

McMillan and to Commission

Chairwoman Judy

Poe, and they told him the

town could have the jail

and a check, and how much

did the town want them to

write on the check. He said

he told them when the town

finds out how much it will

cost to demolish the jail

and dispose of the material,

he will let the county know

how much would be needed.

Anderson said that if the

town could get the building

demolished and buried on

site or without a high fee

for disposal of the material,

then the town might not

even need funds from the

county. Although the county

is keeping the generator

from the old jail, the town

could possibly use the air

conditioning unit on the

roof at Jefferson Town

Hall. And people have been

asking for the solid steel

cell doors and frames because

of their security potential,

Anderson said.

“If we could get it torn

down this fall and winter,

we could be parking on it

in the spring,” board members

noted, voting to move

ahead with demolition

plans. The town wants the

site for parking for town

maintenance vehicles.

The county plans to

clean up the building and

hold an open house prior to

demolition by the town.

Visitors to the old jail are

amazed by the artwork on

the walls, done by obviously

talented former inmates.

Many of the colorful drawings

depict cartoon characters.