The Shawano County Board unanimously approved to spend $121 million on the new government center project. While the details are still being finalized, the new facility will connect the county jail with the court rooms and admini strative offices. The new government center will be built west of the current courthouse and connect to the existing sheriff's office. The county hopes to break ground on the project by the end of this year. You can find more information on the project here.Every day, jail administrator Troy Beyer works with limited space.The jail's kitchen and booking areas, specifically, are not big enough.Its very small for the inmate population that we serve," he says.The most pressing issue, however, is inmates having to cross the public street to get to court.Were probably the last county in the state of Wisconsin that actually does that," Sheriff George Lenzner says. "And when we do that, its a safety issue for the inmate thats walking across, the public in the courthouse.The new government center, which will be built west of the current court house, will connect the jail with the courtrooms and administrative offices.This is long overdue," Lenzner says.Designs and details are still being finalized, but with the boards support, the project has been given the green light.Finance director, Nicole Zuehl, says the impact on property taxes will be small.Thats a big concern for the taxpayers," she says. "The projections for the $121 million plan is about five cents per $1,000 the first year, and six cents per $1,000 the second year, and after those first two initial years, that tax impact is going to decrease.Sheriff Lenzner says without this new facility, which is expected to add about 100 beds, theyd have to start sending inmates to other counties.Which is going to cost the county to do that," he says. "Youre paying room and board, youre paying officers overtime to transport these inmates back and forth, so in the long run, this is a good investment.County interim admin coordinator, Julie Hasser, says this project will impact the community as a whole.Our offices in the justice and government center really do provide services for our entire community, and we want that place that everyone comes to be safe," she says. ...read more read less