FANNIN, CO., TX -- It's a project years in the making, but now the new Fannin County Jail is beginning to take shape.

It's hard to imagine that an $18 million project designed to improve the way a county government functions could come without a price tag. But as the walls are going up on the new jail in Fannin County, that's exactly what's happened.

Sparks fly at the construction site of the new Fannin County Jail. Progress on the $18 million project in Bonham is nearing the half-way point.

"It's about 43% complete and it may even be a little bit ahead of schedule," said Fannin County Judge Eileen Cox.

And because the number of Fannin County inmates has exceeded the current jail capacity of 92, they've had to send several inmates to surrounding counties.

"It costs us $45 per day for each inmate we have out of county," Judge Cox said.

That adds up quick.
The county spent just under $400,000 in the 2007-2008 fiscal year housing inmates in other counties. A number that will drop to zero once the new facility opens its doors.

"It will reduce our Sheriff's budget by a tremendous amount," said Judge Cox. "We will not have the cost of the jailers or their benefits. It will be a great savings to the county."

"September of 2009 is when the county hopes to be able to move those off-site inmates back here to the new facility. Once they're able to do that, it'll be a sizable chunk of cash put back into the pockets of the Fannin County taxpayer."

Residents' responses were varied:
"It'd be good if it actually happens."
"That's exciting, that's great news."
"That ain't gonna change my life at all."
"I think it's gonna be good for Fannin County because then we can reinvest the money somewhere else and bring in more opportunity into the county."

And the beauty of this project is that it is privately funded--meaning zero cost to the taxpayer.

"It's funded through bonds to an investor which have been put into trust and it is not costing the county anything," said Judge Cox.

The new jail will be a privately run facility for the first 20 years of its existence. After that it will revert back to the control of Fannin County.