County discusses joint sheriff/EMA facility

     Last Thursday, May 25, several county officials were meeting with representatives from Shive-Hattery to discuss the future potential for a joint law enforcement center and emergency management (EMA) facility.

   Prior to that visit, Sheriff Greg Graver talked with the Jones County Supervisors about the matter during their May 16 board meeting.

   Throughout the last several months, Graver, Supervisor Jeff Swisher, and others have been looking at potential sites in which to build a facility.

   “I know there’s been discussion on storage for the sheriff’s department and EMA,” noted Graver. “Both of us have storage needs. We both have a lot of resources within our offices. By combining resources, it just provides so much better equipment for everyone.”

   Graver offered that by combining forces, the advantage is better use of the space.

   “It’s also easier when the equipment is all in one place for maintenance,” he continued.

   Graver added that he doesn’t want to see a storage unit built and then a law enforcement facility attached to it, where the two buildings don’t match.

   “I don’t think it would look good,” he said.

   He suggested this project being carried out in phases: Purchase land, erect a storage building, and then build the main facility.

   “There would have to be coordination,” he urged. “You want the public to see an end product where the storage facility and main sheriff’s facility look like they were built at the same time and in conjunction with each other.

   “And if you talk to the public, it’s easier for us to sell it to the public when we say we’ve committed to the project, purchased land, and have the storage need taken care of. Now we need you, as the taxpayers, to help us finish the project. It shows we’re already invested in the project.”

   Supervisor Joe Oswald said he would prefer to see the sheriff’s office and EMA in the same facility.

   “It’s silly to have two different buildings and go through that expense,” he said.