Whetsel and other county officials say structural problems with the jail make it impossible to address four of the 60 concerns outlined by the DOJ. For example, the jail wasn't designed with a medical wing. In March, the DOJ told county officials it remains concerned about the jail's medical and mental health treatment programs.
County commissioners are exploring building a new jail and paying for it with a sales tax that would require voter approval. Not an ideal scenario, but likely unavoidable in the long term.
