Hays County commissioners held a special meeting Aug. 18 to discuss the need for a potential $188.6 million bond that would address public safety facilities in the county, and determined the November ballot is too soon to put the issue to vote. The potential bond would address the county's 26-year-old jail, which is regularly near capacity. Earlier this summer the county began sending prisoners to the Guadalupe County jail, which costs Hays County $50 per day per inmate, according to the sheriff's office. The bond would also potentially fund a new law enforcement center, a colocated 911 dispatch center for each law enforcement jurisdiction in the county and a joint training facility to be shared by San Marcos and Hays County. Commissioners considered a wide range of options for projects totaling $183.9 million–$188.6 million. "I think it's too fast to put one on for November; I think we don't have enough—I don't have enough—information to[put] it on the bond for November," County Judge Bert Cobb said. "I just don't see how we could do that and do a fair job of educating the public about what our needs are and what our purpose is." Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley said the jail's current location on Uhland Road in San Marcos makes the most sense for a new facility. The law enforcement center would most likely be built near the Hays County Government Center at 712 Stagecoach Road, San Marcos. "If we did not do a colocated facility on one of these pieces of property, at some point in time the city of Kyle is going to have to do something differently to address their long-term 911 communication issues and dispatch. So is the city of San Marcos," Conley said. "The city of San Marcos in all likelihood will go out and buy more land in San Marcos and take that off the tax rolls." According to estimates by Broaddus & Associates, the firm handling the jail study, Hays County would be responsible for about $148.5 million of the three projects. San Marcos would be responsible for $26.4 million and the colocated dispatch center's $12.7 million cost would be split between the county, municipalities and Texas State University. Under Broaddus' initial timeline, the new county jail would open by late 2016, followed by the joint law enforcement center and colocated dispatch center in mid-2017, and the new training facility in late 2017. Cobb ultimately recommended the county pursue a May bond election, giving commissioners time to meet with community members and gather feedback. The county would potentially partner with the city of San Marcos for a joint law enforcement center that would include the San Marcos Police Department headquarters and the Sheriff's Office headquarters. The city of San Marcos is still in the process of studying its facility needs, and has, therefore, been unable to commit to the project completely. Conley said he expects that by the end of the calendar year the city will have a better idea of its needs. Hays County Sheriff Gary Cutler said he is confident the jail will pass a Texas Commission on Jail Standards inspection in September. "We will continue to run a safe, humane jail," Cutler said. "We will obviously have to do some outsourcing, but when beds are available, they'll be housed in Hays County."