Monday night, three county committees talked about the best site for a new Eau Claire County Justice Center.

All three committees supported the two locations away from downtown, if the city and county decide a jail shouldn't be built downtown. One is on River Prairie Drive in Altoona, the other if off Highway 93 near I-94. Monday night, the committees also recommended putting the question of where to build on the ballot in April using a non-binding referendum.

The full county board now has to approve putting the advisory referendum on the ballot. It could do that at its next meeting on February 16.

Eau Claire City Councilman Bob Von Haden sent a letter to the county board Monday asking members to reconsider how that referendum would be worded, so voters would fully understand that the full cost of the on-site option is not just $59 million, that its part of a $130 million project. The full letter from Von Haden is posted along with this story. (Click on the notepad icon above).