Come on county, what’s the plan?

Wayne County officials owe Hamtramck an answer.
The question being: What are their plans for the Dickerson jail, located on Conant and Hamtramck Dr.?
Recently, it was announced that the county will soon move all of its detention facilities into one brand-new jail complex just south of Hamtramck in Detroit.
That move has been years in the making, and will come at an eventual final cost of millions of dollars.
What we don’t know for sure yet, is when – or even if –the county plans to move the inmates out of the Hamtramck jail.
This is important to know, since the city receives about $1 million a year from the county in lieu of paying taxes. That is a huge chunk of change for Hamtramck, and its loss could cripple some city services.
City officials expect the county to move out of Hamtramck, but it would be nice to know exactly when, so the city can start preparing.
We’re not sure just how the city can withstand that financial blow. The current jail is still relatively new, having been built 30 years ago. It would be a huge setback for the city to have it sit empty.
Here’s hoping the county has a plan for the jail, and will clue the public in soon.
Posted April 19, 2024