(KTNC) -- Richardson County Commissioners made no decision Tuesday, but they appear ready to move forward with a new county jail and law enforcement center. Commissioners are considering whether to add a jail onto the Armory building on the west edge of Falls City.
 Commissioners took comments from the public about the proposed jail Tuesday afternoon. Eight people attended the meeting. Most comments favored going forward with the project, though there is concern about the construction costs and added costs to operate the facility.
 Commission Chairman David Sickel says it appears commissioners will move forward with the new jail – without bringing the issue to a public vote. Sickel notes that the committee formed to look at the jail issue voted 9-1 to move forward with the project, and that a public vote to approve a new jail has not been approved in Nebraska in more than two decades.
Commissioners expressed skepticism Tuesday whether the public would vote in favor of the new jail, though they also said they had not heard many negative comments from constiuents about the project. With favorable interest rates and the county’s levy well below the 50-cent cap, Sickel says the county would likely finance the project with a bond.
 State law allows commissioners to add an additional five-cent levy under the 50-cent cap to build public infrastructure such as a new jail. Richardson County's current levy is at 36-cents.
 The cost to add a jail onto the south side of the jail is approximately $2 million. Sickel estimated that would mean an additional levy of a little more than $20 per $100,000 of assessed valuation over 10 years.
 Sheriff Randy Houser presented scaled back project plans to commissioners Tuesday. The plans eliminate new offices, restrooms, and other construction that he says was neither necessary nor requested. He said the new jail would include approximately 4400-square-feet of new construction for a 24-bed jail.  He said that would give them more opportunities to segregate inmates and improve safety for inmates and jail staff.
 Houser said a little more than 100 people came to the three open houses and public jail tours they offered earlier this year.
 Commissioners took no action Tuesday on the jail. Should they decide to place the issue on the May primary ballot, that decision would have to be made by March 1.