Port of Ephrata rejects sale of land for new jail

EPHRATA — Port of Ephrata commissioners on Tuesday announced their decision not to sell land on East Division Avenue to Grant County for a new Grant County Jail.

Commissioners voted unanimously, 3-0, against selling the land near the site of the now closed Grant County Work Release Center, 1631 E. Division Ave., according to a statement.

“The commissioners’ decision was based on the port’s mission statement, community input and information provided by the county regarding the design and infrastructure of the new facility,” the statement read. “The commission, through the executive director, has reached out to the county to discuss alternate locations.”

County officials originally asked to purchase 3 acres at the Division Avenue site. According to the statement from the port commission, county officials said they would be interested in purchasing about 4 additional acres at the Division Avenue site during a meeting in June.

The county owns 3 acres at the site, which is enough room for a jail, but Grant County Central Services Director Tom Gaines said in an earlier interview building the jail on just the county’s acreage would require demolishing the work release center. Gaines said county officials don’t want to do that.

The Division Avenue site was chosen from three options recommended by CRA Architects, of Tallahassee, Florida. The other two options were the site of the existing jail, 35 C St., in Ephrata, and county-owned land on Randolph Road, north of Moses Lake.

County voters approved a three-tenths of 1% law and justice sales tax increase in 2019, with some of the money destined for a new jail.

A site for the jail has not been selected yet, and the Port of Ephrata’s decision takes away the county’s first choice.