Published: October 21, 2009 07:23 am      

Jail Authority signs contract with Hall

It’s official.

With assurance that local construction companies would be used whenever possible, members of the Woodward County Public Facilities Authority signed the dotted line making Joe D. Hall General Contractors of Elk City the managing contractor of the new county jail.

Joe D. Hall General Contractors have previously helped build jails in Custer and Beckham counties among others, according to Woodward County Sheriff Gary Stanley, who also is a member of the trust authority.

According to the contract with the Woodward County Public Facilities Authority, Hall will receive 8.5 percent of the total cost of building the jail as compensation. The jail is estimated to cost $10 million, so Hall would receive about $850,000. The jail will be paid for with a county-wide sales tax increase, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2010.

Before the contract was signed, Hall addressed the subject of insurance. He assured the authority that if someone were hurt on the job, the responsibility “theoretically” would be with his contracting company.

Several board members said they would feel better if there was a more protective policy in place, because the authority, a separate governing body from the county, could be held responsible.

However, they signed the contract with plans to address the issue at the next meeting, set for 6 p.m. Nov. 24 at the Woodward County Courthouse.

As construction manager, Hall will oversee the various contracting companies that perform the actual building of the jail.

Stanley said construction of the facility is expected to begin in April 2010.