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GATESVILLE – Gates County leaders have agreed to participate in a study regarding a regional jail.

Chowan County officials initiated the concept of a regional jail facility.

Gates County Manager Scott Sauer said Chowan County is currently looking at the possibility of building a new jail.

“Chowan County has a very, very small antiquated jail in Edenton,” Sauer told the Gates County Board of Commissioners at their Jan. 27 meeting. “They very much need to build a jail and as they go through the planning they would like to see if they need to add any capacity for those counties that don’t have a jail, like Gates County.”

Sauer said Washington County is also included in the regional jail concept.

“I’m bringing this to your [commissioners] attention to see if there might be interest in participating in the study and maybe committing to an agreement to house a portion of our inmates. This would involve our sheriff and our commissioners in the study process,” Sauer stated.

Sauer said $11,625 would be Gates County’s part of the study. He added that Washington County has committed to be a part of the study.

Commissioner Jonathan Craddock noted that a large portion of Gates County’s annual budget is committed to inmate housing, approximately $300,000, which doesn’t include medical costs.

“This would be of great interest to us to see if we have any potential cost savings,” said Craddock

A motion was approved, without objection, for Gates County to be included in the Chowan County study regarding the concept of a regional jail.