Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette The Houghton County Board, including Commissioner Glenn Anderson, Chairman Albert Koskela and Vice Chairman Tom Tikkanen, hear an update on a possible site for a new county jail during Tuesday’s meeting. The board met in person but allowed public attendance through Zoom.

HOUGHTON — Talks are resuming on a potential site for the Houghton County Jail. 

Board members are negotiating over a spot south of Sharon Avenue by Evergreen Drive. The 22-acre parcel could be divided into a smaller area if necessary. 

Discussions had been on hold pending the results of the August primary election for sheriff, as one of the candidates opposed building a new jail, Commissioner Roy Britz said. Britz and Janssen met with the building owner again last week.

Janssen said she had talked with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) about a wetlands study of the site to make sure the county is not building where it should not. The application fee is $100; the study could cost up to $500. 

The site would be used for a jail, sheriff’s office and district court. County officials have said the site may be considered for a new courthouse site at some point in the future.

Britz and Janssen are working to set up another meeting with the owner to draw up an agreement for an option on the property they can bring to the board for approval. 

The county has been in talks 

After the most recent ballot proposal for new space was narrowly defeated in 2018, a jail task force was formed to identify the best possible options. They recommended building either on county-owned land across Dodge Street from the courthouse, or somewhere else within Houghton. 

Under state law, the sheriff’s office must be in the county seat. While a jail can be located elsewhere, law enforcement and county officials have said moving the jail away from the sheriff’s office — as well as the courts — would pose logistical and cost problems. That was a major factor in ruling out other potential locations, such as Camp Kitwen.