HOUGHTON — The drive to come up with a possible replacement for the Houghton County Jail is on hold temporarily because of the financial uncertainties caused by COVID-19, Commissioner Roy Britz said at Tuesday’s county Board meeting. 

The county is in talks to purchase land south of Sharon Avenue by Evergreen Drive for the location of a potential jail, which could also hold a courthouse down the line if the county decides to expand. The total parcel is about 22 acres, though the owner is willing to break up the parcel to fit the county’s needs, Britz said in May. 

The county will also look at a site visit as required by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Commissioner Gretchen Janssen said it would cost $300 to $400 to assess whether the site is a viable place to build. 

The county is considering a millage proposal to fund a replacement for its nearly 60-year-old jail, which has run into chronic overcrowding and also poses a large liability risk, officials say. Previous attempts have been voted down by the public, most recently a jail addition beyond the courthouse proposed in 2018. 

A jail task force convened last summer considered several possible options for a new jail, eventually recommending a jail, district court and sheriff’s office to be built somewhere within Houghton. The board tentatively settled on the new location rather than building on county-owned land across from the courthouse, citing the additional room for expansion. 

Also Tuesday, the board also tabled a request from the Land Bank Authority for $10,000 due to the budget uncertainties.