As the recession worsens, some New Hampshire towns are asking Grafton County to hold off on plans to build a new jail.
The current jail, which was designed to hold about 70 inmates but often tops 100, is more than a century old. A new 206-bed jail was approved last winter, but has been stalled by a court case. And now, at least 15 of the 39 communities in the county have asked county commissioners to delay construction, saying property taxpayers can’t afford the added financial burden.
Two of the three commissioners say they’re open to scaling back the size of the project but insist the existing facility needs to be replaced soon.