The Eau Claire County Board says it will build a new jail, but not a new courthouse.

The board voted 15-12 to approve spending $59 million to pay for the expansion. The money will go toward a new jail, remodeling the police and sheriff's departments, and remodeling other government offices in the current building.

The board voted to reject sending a special referendum to Eau Claire County voters to ask them if the expansion project should go through. Then the board decided not to include a new courthouse in the plans, before approving the new jail.

Eau Claire County says the project will increase taxes on a $100,000 property by $31.49. That won’t be the only cost- several board members say they are worried about staffing the new jail.

"I still have a lot of questions on operations,” says County Board Supervisor Howard Ludwigson. I don't know how we're going to be able to hire the personnel for this. I think eventually we're going to have to go to the taxpayers anyway and say, 'How are we going to have the people for this?' If we don't do that, we may have to cut other programs significantly or even eliminate probably some departments.”

The county now has to hire a design firm. Construction could start in 2008 and be completed by 2010.