Hall County has no timeline for considering jail offer from city

GAINESVILLE - While it appears the city of Gainesville has offered Hall County $7.2 million for the old county jail, the county isn't saying much about that offer.

Hall County Commission Chair Tom Oliver confirmed the offer and the amount Wednesday morning, but he said the county has to be careful about how it approaches the offer.

Right now, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) operates the jail in midtown Gainesville; it is used as a holding facility for illegal immigrant offenders.

Hall County last month had agreed to sell the jail to CCA for the same amount the city is now offering.

"I'm somewhat limited in what I can say based on the contract in progress," said Oliver. "The problem we've got to make sure of is that the county is not held liable for any parts of that contract."

Oliver noted that part of the contract with CCA involves Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), so the county doesn't want to violate any part of that federal agreement.

He said the two offers will be something for lawyers to review now, and he offered no timetable for the county to decide which offer to accept.

"The only thing the commission's got to make sure of is that we don't incur any extended liability. Once that is resolved, I think we can sit down and start inking paper," said Oliver.

The city of Gainesville is opposed to the sale of the jail to CCA, saying the jail is an impediment to redevelopment of the midtown area.

Gainesville City officials entered an executive session after the city council meeting Tuesday night, but said they would have no announcements on the jail offer following the session.