ELIZABETHTOWN -- Essex County is preparing to tear down its 1870s jail at the County Government Center here.

The county is issuing $500,000 in serial bonds for the project, which will tear down the old jail, move the county's modular jail to Department of Public Works facilities at Lewis and move the County Probation Department into the offices vacated by the Sheriff's Department.

MODULAR MOVING

The county is paying $145,455 to move the 21-cot modular jail to Lewis from the county complex in Elizabethtown.

The modular jail was used after the state closed the old jail for structural problems. A new County Jail opened in October 2007 in Lewis.

STEPS STILL TO COME

Bids aren't in yet for the demolition of the old three-story, brick jail.

The demolition is conditioned on a State Environmental Quality Review report, which will be done soon, and issuance of a permit by the New York State Department of State.

County Attorney Daniel Manning III said the plans are still being worked out.

"We will have a formal serial-bond resolution, but because of the way this played out, this is just sort of a precursor to the serial-bond resolution."

Department of Public Works Superintendent Frederick Buck said many things must be done before the old jail is torn down.

"Information was gathered for a report on work that needs to be done prior to jail demolition.

"(We need) a new boiler system and water main for Probation (Department), maintenance on integrity of communication lines running through the basement to the courthouse, installing hot water heaters for different parts of the complex, moving the fire-alarm panel and rerouting generator-protected electrical circuits."

Buck said the sheriff's civil offices to which probation is moving are heated by the jail's system.

"We are going to have to also install a new heating system in the basement of that building because that building is served by the same boiler that currently heats the old jail now."