Wilkinson county commissioners cover old jail, JR Sims Road

Although barely hanging on, the “old jail” in Irwinton last year managed to celebrate its 100th birthday.

Help is on the way, however, as the Wilkinson County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to approve $42,000 worth of structural work and improvements to the facility, located adjacent to the county courthouse.

The old jail most recently served as the home of the Development Authority of Wilkinson County. Now, the hope is to eventually convert the property into a “tourism center” for Irwinton and Wilkinson County. 

E Turner Construction & Investments of Dublin, one of two bidders on the project, was awarded the contract. The work includes securing joists and reinforcing some floors, as well as re-plastering and re-painting interior walls. 

Meanwhile, help also is on the way for one particularly sketchy stretch of JR Sims Road outside of Irwinton. Erosion, exacerbated by heavy rains from Hurricane Helene, has created a large ditch along the median that continues to deepen. No guard rails are in place, and county commissioners are hoping to fix the situation before a bad automobile accident occurs.

Triple Point Engineers, which has worked with the county for a number of years, was awarded an engineering contract during Tuesday’s regular meeting. An exact timetable for repairs hasn’t been established.