Mercer County is on schedule to open a new 261-bed county jail in Findley Township in early 2003, but a sewer system may not be ready by then.

Other than sewers, plans seem to be falling into place.

Engineers for L. Robert Kimball Associates, Ebensburg, Pa., finished exterior design and is working on the interior, project manager Diane Glarrow told the Mercer County Prison Board Monday.

The state Department of Labor and Industry has approved the conceptual design and Mrs. Glarrow said she has told the state Department of Corrections that a visiting area will also serve as a counseling room.

The prison board recommended Mercer County Commissioners accept 16 acres at the state Regional Corrections Facility grounds from the state Office of General Services. The land transfer will cost the county $7,800 because the General Services Office is prohibited by law from giving away state land, said Commissioner Brian W. Shipley. The land was appraised at $30,000, said Commissioner Cloyd E. "Gene" Brenneman.

The only piece of the puzzle not falling into place on time is sewers.

Mercer County is sharing with East Lackawannock, Findley, Springfield and Coolspring townships and Mercer in the $32,000 cost of drafting a regional sewer plan.

Brenneman said he told representatives of the municipalities that they have until spring to come up with a regional sewer plan, or the county will build an on-site system for the new jail.

Shipley noted that the county is still interested in being a part of a regional sewer system. Besides the jail, a community sewer system will encourage economic development in the Mercer area.

Brenneman said the county could have answers about the community sewer system as soon as next month. However, Mrs. Glarrow said planners need the answers about the sewer systems now.

"We need to get going on this as soon as possible," she said. If the county decides on an on-site sewer system, it could take a year to get environmental permits approved, she said.

Cost of an on-site system would be about $1 million in addition to the $17 million estimated cost of the jail. The county's share in the community sewer system is not known, Brenneman said.

"We need to know about the sewers soon, or else we will have a new facility and not be able to open it," said Controller Dennis M. Songer, prison board president.

Responding to a question from Forrest Bochy, 124 Thompson Road, Findley Township, Mrs. Glarrow said the jail site has enough room for an on-site sewer system as well as a geothermal heating system.

Thompson Road residents have asked county officials to move the access way to the jail, which now connects with their dead-end road. Plans calling for the access from Thompson Road will stay as they are, Mrs. Glarrow said.

"You are going to use our road as your driveway," Bochy said.

Cost of the jail project will come from a portion of a $34 million bond issue. Property owners will pay off the debt through real estate tax increases.