Halifax County commissioners tabled a decision on a change order in the jail addition project today, requesting the architectural firm come back with an estimate for a facility-wide security system.

At issue is some $17,000 in changes that range from the addition of security vehicle gates and a vehicle impound lot to replacing carpeting and the deletion of a climate controlled vehicle bay.

Commissioners registered concerns about having two different security systems — one for the new addition and one for the existing part of the jail.

Taylor Muniz, vice president of Richmond-based Moseley Architects, explained to the board, “You can get away with a one-person operator and two systems. Changing the existing system means more money. It adds $150,000 to $250,000.”

Board Chairman James Pierce said he didn’t believe it was practical to have the jail operating on two different systems. “So move forward on one technology. I detest spending money on jails.”

Pierce, who explained later spending money on jails takes away from things like education spending, told Muniz to try his best to get the technology below the $150,000 to $250,000 mark. “It wouldn’t hurt my feelings if it came in below that.”

As it stands now, with the $17,516 in change orders, the projected cost of the jail and sheriff’s office additions stand at $8,872,783.

It is a project that would double the jail’s capacity with a first floor and second floor addition, Sheriff Jeff Frazier said following the presentation.

County Manager Tony Brown said the county would fund additions using 20 to 30 years debt service.