Sullivan County Treasurer Ira Cohen believes the county should rebid the process in hiring an architectural firm to design and build a new county jail.

The county has not officially decided to move forward with a new facility to replace the 100-year-old Monticello jail, but have been leaning toward an $80 million plan from Labella company.

Months ago, Cohen brought the county an alternative, Goldberg Associates, which proposed building a new jail for $45 million.

�For me it�s not a matter of Goldberg versus LaBella,� Goshen said, noting there are other companies aside from LaBella. �Competition is good. It forces the price down if the process works. Goldberg came in and said LaBella is overpriced. To what degree that is true, obviously anybody�s design would have to be approved by the county and the state.�

LaBella told the county legislature in March that with some cost-cutting, the cost could possibly be brought down to near $60 million but cautioned, in essence, that you get what you pay for.

The county treasurer thinks the legislature will select a company and seek bond financing for the new jail next year.

(Source: MidHudsonNews)