A cost increase of the law enforcement center addition was discussed at the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday.

Mike Lewis of Shive-Hattery Architecture and Engineering and Sid Samuels of project manager The Samuels Group presented new drawings and cost estimates for the new county jail, for which a $8.7 million bond referendum was passed in March with about 80% in favor. Samuels stated his current estimate for the project is now closer to $9.3 million, which Lewis attributed in part to added square footage due to design changes for the inmate movement corridor, mechanical room, and extension of the stairwell that will be located alongside the elevator that will connect the law enforcement center with the courthouse. Lewis mentioned that the additional 775 square feet in these changes were discussed at previous Supervisors meetings, but they can be reversed. Samuels says they are still on schedule to send the project out for bid on August 20th, and they will return at the Supervisors’ meeting on July 21st.