‘Going to benefit everybody;’ Ground broken for new jail in Greene County

GREENE COUNTY — The ground was broken to begin the construction of the new, $15 million jail in Greene County.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Groundbreaking for new Greene County jail to be held next month

Greene County Sheriff Scott Anger, Governor Mike DeWine (OH-R), and other county leaders gathered Friday morning for a ceremony.

Sheriff Anger said the current jail is more than 52 years old, obsolete, and even unsafe.

News Center 7 has previously shown you spots where the old jail has been crumbling.

“This is going to be something that’s going to benefit everybody in our county as a need, not just as a want, for the next 50 years,” Anger said.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Gov. DeWine and Greene County leaders discuss state funding for new jail

The old building has also had issues with heating and air conditioning.

After two failed levies, Greene County leaders had to come up with a different way to solve their jailing problem.

At times, the Sheriff had to decide who would be kept in jail, and who would be released due to the lack of space.

DeWine worked with the statehouse to get $15 million to go towards the project.

County leaders originally wanted the new jail to have close to 400 beds, but due to inflation, the county had to downsize the project.

“These decisions about who’s in jail who’s out should be made based on who needs to be imprisoned, who needs to be in jail, not based on do we have enough space,” DeWine said.

Anger said the new jail will be safer for law enforcement and will have space for mental health and addiction treatment.

“We want to utilize their time in jail the best we can, and we want to we want to give every possible access they have to outside services when they leave our jail,” Anger said.

The jail is dedicated to the late Greene County Sheriff Gene Fisher, who worked hard to get a new jail built.

“I think Gene Fisher would be very happy…I imagine he’s kind of looking down on us and says ‘hey, this is a great, great thing,’” DeWine said.

Anger says Friday’s rain was a small sign that Fisher was with the team breaking ground today.

“These are tears of joy coming out of the sky today because of this great event,” Anger said.

The county hopes to get these machines to work as soon as possible, and to have the new jail finished during fall 2025.

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