UPDATED: County Jail Strike Force Strategy

Mike Paulus |

In what’s being excitedly billed as “perhaps our most critical meeting yet,” CAJE (Citizens for Accountable Jail Expansion) will be meeting tonight to strategize the strongest possible arguments for the Special Committee (to Resolve Space and Site Needs) to support off-site jail location, split operations possibilities, and expanded alternative programming. TV18 might be showing up to do some reportin' on the group.

If you oppose the county jail expanding in downtown Eau Claire, you should probably attend tonight’s CAJE meeting because the Special Committee may be making their final decision on the new jail location on March 19. Tonight's meeting is at 6pm at the First Congregational Church, (on 3rd and Broadway).

On the other hand, if you do not oppose the downtown jail expansion, we’re not sure what you should do because you don’t have a citizen action group. Maybe you can form one or something.

Part of the reason for CAJE's urgency, from WQOW.com...

  • On Thursday night, the committee formed to come up with alternative sites for a new Eau Claire County jail, other than downtown, came up with two sites.
  • The committee's top pick was land next to the Chippewa Valley Technical College west campus, land that is owned by the college. Friday morning, the committee was told that sight was already slated for another project.