Benton County is looking to expand its jail. The County Quorum Court will authorize the county judge to apply for a grant at a meeting coming up this Thursday. The expansion would house those charged with felonies and would increase the county jail by about 38,000 square feet, adding 250 beds.
The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Justice's program called Bridging Immigration-Related Deficits Experienced Nationwide, or BIDEN. If approved, the federal grant would bring $45 million to the county for the expansion, and a spokesperson for the Benton County Sheriff's Department says they would consider the project only if they received the grant. The grant deadline is Friday.
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