Cleveland County Commissioners voted 3-0 Monday to ask county voters to approve a one-fourth of one-cent sales tax for a new jail Dec. 9.

The jail, estimated to cost $39.5 million, is planned for county-owned land at U.S. Highway 77 and Franklin Road. Cleveland County is one of the few counties in Oklahoma that does not have a county sales tax on top of city and state sales taxes.

Commissioners are asking for a 20-year tax or until the long-term debt on the jail is paid off.

"We feel that sales tax collection in the county will increase and we will be able to pay this obligation in less than 20 years or when the debt is paid, which ever should occur earlier," according to a statement from George Skinner, commission chairman.

After the meeting commissioner Rusty Sullivan said the existing detention center, completed in 1984, was designed to hold 139 prisoners. With double bunking the jail has been approved by the State Department of Health to hold 177 prisoners.

The average number of prisoners for the week of Sept. 23 through 30 was 194, Capt. Ed Miller of the sheriff's department reported to commissioners.

The jail has been averaging about 180-200 for the past couple of years and the health department has told commissioners the county could be fined $10,000 a day if something is not done.

Skinner said the size of some of the cells allow two and sometimes three prisoners to share one cell.

Although overcrowding is the only reason the state is telling Cleveland County to do something the present jail is deteriorating in "dog years," said assistant district attorney Dave Batton.

Because of the constant turnover, a jail ages seven years in one, he said.

In other business, Skinner read a proclamation honoring Joan Barker and her work with the Workforce Investment Act providing national and state job training. Barker is leaving the workforce.

Barker has worked with the program for 25 years and through her efforts, Skinner read, "Cleveland County has been the recipient of approximately $400,000 or more each year in grants for development programs for the training, retraining or placement of workers in Cleveland County.

"And I know it's true," Skinner said. "I have worked with her 18 of those years."

Barker received a standing ovation.

In other personnel matters, the board appointed Pamela Dominic and Bill Edmondson as receiving officers for the Judicial Resources Board. Rusty Sullivan, David Poarch and Sandee Coogan were appointed requesting officers for the same account.