Timeline: The Dane County Jail project saga over the years
The Dane County jail consolidation project is the county's biggest public works project on record. It started as a push to reduce the jail's population and close the inhumane 1950s-style jail at the City-County Building. But the project has turned into a years-long political saga, made longer by soaring construction costs that have forced officials to scale back the scope of the project. Here's a look at the key moments in the project's history.Â
2019
Jun 07
The meeting came to a standstill for 15 minutes after demonstrators yelled over Dane District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, telling him to "sit down."
Jun 15
The plan to renovate and consolidate Dane County’s jails is costing $72 million more than initially planned because of structural problems with the Public Safety Building.Â
2021
Sep 24
A criminal justice research group says Dane County should build a five-story jail tower with 250 fewer beds, unless the jail population rises back up.Â
Nov 03
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi's office said "it's premature to add millions more to the (jail) project."Â
2022
Feb 15
The Dane County Board will vote on an additional $24 million for the long-awaited project at their Thursday night meeting.
Mar 04
The Dane County Board approved a scaled-back "compromise" plan for the County Jail project late Thursday night — just one day after the plan was introduced.Â
Aug 03
To combat racial disparities, the latest proposal for the jail would build a five-story tower with 725 beds, remove acute medical housing from the facility and call on courts and law enforcement to implement reforms.Â
Aug 03
Sheriff Kalvin Barrett announced Tuesday that Dane County will begin closing the City-County Building portion of county jail facilities and shipping its residents to other counties.
Nov 10
The long-stalled Dane County jail project will almost certainly require future funding votes.Â
Nov 16
The 37-member Dane County Board would need a two-thirds majority to override the County Executive's veto.Â
2023
Mar 17
Dane County has housed 65 jail inmates on average in facilities in Iowa, Oneida and Rock Counties since August.
Apr 20
The board's Black Caucus will support the new funding for a six-story jail while Sheriff Kalvin Barrett will remove federal inmates from the jail.Â
Nov 14
Faced with a jail again over budget, Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said he plans to explore "alternative solutions that will keep the jail project on schedule".Â
2021
Jul 02
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi says surging construction costs are causing the jail project to go over budget again — likely by at least $10 million, if not more. "That’s frankly just too much," he said. Â
2006
Dec 05
Leaders of a South Side neighborhood association are vowing to fight a Dane County proposal to build a 448-bed work-release jail on Fish Hatch…
2007
Jan 09
Dane County's plan to build a work-release jail on the South side is dead on arrival, the chairman of the county's jail siting study committee…
2016
Dec 22
Options to centralize all Dane County Jail inmates in an expanded Public Safety Building and improve programming range from $150.8 million to $166.8 million.
2022
Mar 04
The Dane County Board approved a scaled-back "compromise" plan for the County Jail project late Thursday night — just one day after the plan was introduced.Â
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