TALENT, Ore. – Talent City Councilors decided not to vote on a resolution that would move the county’s new jail proposal forward Wednesday night.
Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler presented the jail proposal to city councilors last week. There are 11 incorporated cities in the county that require yes votes. If one city decides to exclude themselves, it could ruin the plan to get the new jail proposal on the fall ballot. While Talent City Councilors decided not to vote on the proposal, councilors say it doesn’t mean they’re saying no to the idea.
They’re just not ready to make a decision right now.
“I just think that council isn’t informed on what’s gone on in our county to get to this point,” Sheriff Nathan Sickler said. “The crux of the issue is the jail and the lack of jail space.”
“We have an incredibly important charge of making policy that preserves the well being of our community,” Talent Mayor, Darby Ayers-Flood said. “What I feel would be a great disservice would not to have to worked harder to find alternative solutions and that just simply did not happen.”
May 17th is the deadline for the city to opt-in to the service district. If Talent decides not to take action by that time, the district will have to be redrawn and the jail vote will not make it onto the November ballot.
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