Pennington County commissioners have approved Sheriff Brian Mueller’s request to pursue federal grant funding for a long-planned expansion of the county jail.
Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize applications for two federal grants that could provide up to $183 million for jail construction and related infrastructure projects.
Mueller said the proposed expansion could add as many as 600 beds to address overcrowding at the Pennington County Jail, which has operated at or above capacity since 2014. While the current plan focuses on expanding the existing St. Joseph Street facility, officials have not finalized the project’s size or location.
Commissioner Deb Hadcock questioned whether a downtown expansion is the best option, but Mueller noted the grant funding would not be tied to a specific site.
If awarded, the grant proposal will return to the commission for further decisions on the project’s design, location and public input process. The grant applications are due later this month.
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