Mercer County Prison Board members said this week they are hopeful the bidding process for an estimated $17 million county jail project will begin March 15.

Bidding was expected to start this month, but the county has not nailed down how the jail's sewage needs will be met. Prison board members say they hope to resolve the issue soon.

The county is waiting for results of a regional sewer study and plan, according to Commissioner Cloyd E. "Gene" Brenneman, a prison board member. The county shared the $32,000 cost of the study with Mercer as well as Findley, Springfield, Coolspring and East Lackawannock townships.

County officials have said they expected study results last year and that the county would opt out of the regional plan and for its own on-site system if results were not ready by this spring.

Prison board members said Monday they would rather join the regional sewer system than build their own system -- the on-site system could cost an additional $1 million, while the regional system could encourage area development.

Brenneman and other area officials went to Harrisburg recently to encourage the state Department of Corrections to hook onto the proposed regional system with the county.

The DOC runs the State Regional Correctional Facility, Findley Township, the state prison neighboring the 16-acre site of the planned county jail.

As a backup plan in case the regional plan is not completed soon, Brenneman said the county has touched base with the state Department of Environmental Protection regarding the possible on-site sewage system. The DEP would have to approve the system.

Brenneman said he is hopeful the county breaks ground on the project by June and that the proposed 265-bed jail is ready for inmates by late 2003.