EUFAULA — A new jail near Eufaula may help pay for itself by housing more state and area prisoners than just those from McIntosh County.

Leasing out beds to other entities, perhaps area jails that are full or the state, should help pay for the maintenance and operation, said McIntosh County Commission Chairman Bob James.

The McIntosh County Jail’s average inmate population is from 27 to 32 — more than the law allows — and some extras after Saturday night DUI and drug arrests, officials said.

A new 32,000-square-feet McIntosh County Criminal Justice Center built to house 152 inmates and eight trusties is expected to be completed in July, James said.

The original contract was for $6.97 million, according to McIntosh County Clerk Diana Curtis. There have been about $680,000 in cost overruns, said District 2 County Commissioner Tim Pendley.

The facility is being financed by a one-half cent sales tax county residents passed on May 9, 2006 by a vote of 1,784 to 351, Curtis said.

The center is just north of Eufaula, off old U.S. 69 on Industrial Road.

The contract with Atlas General Contractors of Bixby was signed in February 2007. The dirt work part of the construction started the next month.

Mike Owens, with Atlas General, told county officials recently that the keys could be turned over to officials around July 15.

Employees will have to be trained on the camera system, detention and security, video visitation, maintenance, hardware, etc.

One two-story cell pod area in the new jail has room for 24 inmates. Round, metal tables spider out with either four or six seats each. A checker board is etched into the metal in the center of the table.

Another pod area may hold 12 inmates.

Johnny Epperson of Tulsa, an employee of Reiss Painting Companies, was painting the cell pods this week. He commented on the new jail.

“This is nicer than some of the houses I’ve lived in,” he said, grinning.

As far as leasing out minimum security beds to the state, Department of Corrections spokesman Jerry Massie said he doesn’t think the state is looking for minimum security beds right now.