HASTINGS, Mich. — Barry County is taking another step toward a possible new law enforcement facility as officials consider the project’s cost, location and how it could be funded.
The current Barry County Sheriff’s Office and jail at 1212 W. State St. in Hastings dates back to around 1970. Sheriff Dar Leaf said the building’s age, limited space and outdated systems have created problems for employees and inmates.
“The building’s falling apart. The plumbing is atrocious,” Leaf said.
Sgt. Ryan Argo said problems involving the ceiling, electrical cords and plumbing can disrupt daily operations. Staff members have also had to get creative by using nearly every available corner for workspace, equipment and storage.
“There are a lot of areas that need improvement and just can’t really be improved without the entire facility being improved,” Argo said.
Leaf said the building’s limited space makes it difficult to separate certain inmates. He said the facility also lacks adequate space for medical care, meetings with attorneys and educational programs.
“We need classroom space, we need attorney space and medical space,” Leaf said. “Our kitchen is really tiny, so there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”
The Barry County Board of Commissioners recently approved a preconstruction contract with Granger Construction. The company will work with the county and its architectural firm to develop a design, evaluate the existing site and provide a more precise cost estimate.
Board Chair David Jackson said an earlier version of the project was estimated at approximately $45 million. County leaders are now aiming for a smaller project with an estimated construction cost of about $30 million. Additional expenses could be added as planning continues.
“We’re very frugal in Barry County, and we know that we, at some point, may need to ask taxpayers for help on this,” Jackson said. "We’ve scaled this back to a $30 million construction.”
County leaders are also considering whether portions of the current building can be saved and incorporated into the project instead of constructing an entirely new facility.
County Administrator Eric Zuzga said Barry County has just under $6 million set aside for the project. Officials plan to explore state and federal funding before deciding whether to ask voters to approve a millage.
“We will explore every avenue that we can prior to going to the voters for requests for a millage,” Zuzga said.
No millage proposal has been finalized.
Zuzga said the facility affects more than the people being held inside the jail.
“Everyone thinks that, ‘Hey, it’s just the jail. I don’t need to worry about it. I don’t have anyone that goes there,’” Zuzga said. “But we have 30, 40 people that work there every day, and we need a safe place for them to work. We want a safe place for people that have the misfortune of coming into the jail as inmates, and we need it to be safe for everybody.”
The planning process remains ongoing. County leaders hope to have a proposed plan and a more exact cost estimate by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Officials said public meetings will be held before major financial decisions are made, giving residents additional opportunities to learn about the proposal and provide feedback.
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