CHATSWORTH, Ga. – Murray County spent $11 million on a state-of-the-art jail expansion, but now can’t pay for the 15 to 20 positions needed to open it.
Like many counties, Murray is struggling to make it out of 2010 with a budget that is in the black. Sole Commissioner David Ridley is trying to shore up a projected $800,000 budget shortfall.
Meanwhile, plans to move into the jail, which was paid for with proceeds from a special 1-cent sales tax, are on hold.
“We hope we can get into it by the end of the year when more revenue starts coming in,” said Murray County Chief Deputy Ray Sitton. “We’re ready to move in now.”
The expansion will boost the current jail’s capacity by 120 inmates, Chief Sitton said, which means the department needs more guards.