FARMINGTON — Davis County voters will decide Nov. 2 whether to sell general obligation bonds, not to exceed $24.8 million, to finance a county jail expansion

County commissioners Tuesday agreed to put the matter before the voters. That decision followed a 10-month study of the need for an expanded jail by a citizens' committee, which recommended a jail expansion.

The sale of the bonds can be less than $24.8 million but not more, Commission Chairman Dannie McConkie said. The county has 10 years to issue the bonds if voters approve their sale. The bond election will show up on the November ballot as Proposition 1.

Several other tax issues will be decided by voters in November, including a sales tax increase to support arts organizations. McConkie, when asked if he was confident voters would approve nearly $25 million for a jail expansion, said he wasn't confident of anything.

"We have done what the citizens have called for — we've agreed to put the matter up to the voters," McConkie said.

The committee that studied the jail expansion filed a report that is on the county's Web site at www.daviscountyutah.gov.

Frank L. Cline, Bountiful, a jail expansion critic, handed out a two-page flier at the meeting, complaining the 2nd District Court has turned the Davis County Jail into an annex of the Utah State Prison. The flier alleges approximately 70 percent to 80 percent of the inmate population has been convicted of felony offenses and should be sent to the state prison, and those convicted of misdemeanors should be incarcerated at the county jail.

McConkie said judges, not the commission, make the decisions about which offenders are sent to the jail.

"Our obligation is to provide a jail," he said. "Everybody has a zero tolerance for crime, but our population growth means we have more criminals."

Clerk/Auditor Steve Rawlings said the committee spent 10 months studying the issue and some of the members were opposed to expanding the jail, at first. But eventually, they unanimously agreed the expansion is necessary.

"Even people who strongly disagreed with expanding it came back and said we have to build the addition now because of safety issues for the prisoners and workers," Rawlings said.

A voter information pamphlet will be sent out to voters soon and McConkie said he hopes voters will not wait until November to decide on the issue. He noted the sheriff's office is holding open houses every Wednesday evening for those who want to inspect the jail first hand.

Public open houses to explain the need for the expansion will be held Oct. 5, 6:30-9 p.m., at the North Branch Library in Layton; Oct. 6, 6:30-9 p.m., at the South Branch Library in Bountiful; and Oct. 7, 6:30-9 p.m., at the sheriff's office auditorium at the Davis County Justice Complex, 800 W. State St., Farmington.

"We may not tell people what they want to hear, but we'll tell them the truth," McConkie said.

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