Allen County Commissioners

The 4-to-3 vote came as a deadline approached for getting an income tax increase done this calendar year, and before a deadline imposed by a federal judge awaiting a plan on a permanent fix to address overcrowding and other issues.

Superior Court Judge Fran Gull says that moving it completely away from the center of the criminal justice system is costly and potentially dangerous.

At a federal court hearing on the status of the Allen County Jail, U.S. District Judge Damon R. Leichty warned "the people won't like the answer" if county officials do not fund a solution to the constitutionally deficient Allen County Jail.

Allen County officials say it is impossible to fund building the new county correctional facility without a tax rate increase. The County Council is now considering what the rate increase will look like.

The owner and the Allen County Commissioners came to a purchase agreement on 140-acres in the 2900 block of Meyer Road in Fort Wayne

Proponents for these new districts say they are necessary because of a drop in volunteerism, inflation driving up the cost of equipment, and 9-1-1 calls being higher than normal.

Those issues were the subject of a federal court order from earlier in the year.

After a federal court ordered Allen County to fix the living conditions and overcrowding problem at its current jail, the commissioners hired an architect to help them determine where the best location would be to build a new jail.

The passage gives the commissioners a guide for development for the next ten to 20 years.

The new districts will likely cause tax increases for residents in those areas.