After Guthrie County residents voted to build a new jail addition on the county courthouse with about 80% in favor last March, a ceremony was held to celebrate the start of its construction Tuesday.

A groundbreaking was held as part of the Board of Supervisors regular meeting, and the public gathered on the west side of the courthouse as County Auditor Dani Fink, County Attorney Brenna Bird, Sheriff Marty Arganbright, Supervisor Board Chair Mike Dickson, and representatives of project manager the Samuels Group and architecture firm Shive-Hattery spoke about the project set to embark with a 14-month timeline. Arganbright thanked those previously mentioned as well as the voters for helping solve the need for a bigger and newer facility which will be built onto the northside of the courthouse, “The jail that we’re in right now was built in 1963, our jail is full today. It was full yesterday and it’s full most days so I’m really excited about the opportunity to see a new facility.”

Prior to the groundbreaking the Board approved the contracts for all the subcontractors of the project now worth about $9.4 million. The approximate 16,000 square-foot multi-level law enforcement center will include additional parking for Sheriff’s staff, a sallyport, kitchen and laundry facilities, an elevator, and housing for 32 beds.