May primary vote would be on jail funding

The Lawrence County Commission voted on Tuesday to send a half percent sales tax to the May primary ballot.

The commission hosted its third and final reading on the matter at its regular meeting.

The sales tax, if approved, would be used to fund the construction and operation of a new county jail.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced last year that the state of Ohio would be funding 16.8 million toward the new jail from a capital appropriations fund, bringing to an end a longstanding issue in Lawrence County.

The new jail would be a $32 million project, commissioners have said and would require additional staffing beyond what the current jail, built in 1974, has.