Part of the ancient jail was recently ordered closed, by the state, because of unacceptable conditions

MONTICELLO – As Sullivan County prepares to wrestle with fewer jail cells, County Manager David Fanslau has written to Ulster County Executive Michael Hein and Orange County Executive Edward Diana asking them if they can provide guaranteed jail cell space for a fixed amount of inmates, both for short-term and long-term.

Sullivan County is faced with the need to replace its 100 year old county jail and last week, the state Commission on Corrections shut down an 18-cell floor because of its deplorable condition. Another floor could also be shuttered.

Fanslau want to learn what options are available from neighboring counties.

“On the long term, what we are looking for is a cost that can be compared to the cost that can be avoided in debt service if we were able to enter into an inter-municipal agreement between counties that would allow us to reduce further the size of the new county jail,” he said.

Fanslau also plans on exploring with the state the possibility of the county using the closed down Woodbourne Prison Annex and associated property as a possible alternative to the current plans to build a new $60 million jail on land in the Town of Thompson. To that end, county officials will tour the state facility later this month.

Fanslau is also exploring another option, that of engaging a private sector company to build and own a new jail facility and lease it to the county at more attractive financing terms than if the county built its own jail.

The county manager expects to provide an initial report to the county legislature in March.