BEATTY -- Ira Cotler, of Correctional Finance and Consulting Solutions, was hired by Nye County commissioners last week to prepare options on constructing a Pahrump jail.

Nye County Manager Ron Williams said Cotler worked with the county before on the federal detention center project being considered for Pahrump. His firm is based in Sarasota, Fla.

"He's proposed to do this work to help us come up with alternatives to build a jail so you don't have just one project to look at," Williams said. "He's offered to do this service for just his expenses. He would realize revenues from doing this work if and when we get into the financial aspect, issuing bonds or something of that nature."

The contract was approved without any discussion by commissioners.

Williams' memo to the commissioners says Cotler will look at design alternatives, construction alternatives, funding alternatives and ways to optimize operational costs.

The payment for services clause in the contract states Correctional Finance and Consulting Solutions will be reimbursed not more than $10,000.

When contacted for a comment afterwards, Sheriff Tony DeMeo said he was pleased with the vote. But he added, "Excuse my apathy but I've been down this road before. Since I was elected sheriff in 2002 I've been trying to get commissioners to do something with the jail."

DeMeo said he requested an audit in 2003 from the U.S. Department of Justice which recommended Nye County officials fix problems they outlined and replace the jail as soon as possible.

The Pahrump jail was constructed in 1985, when it was intended to be a temporary facility, he said.

The Kitchell Report, a $98,629 contracted study released in November 2005, recommended commissioners spend $18.4 million to build a new jail at a 40-acre county-owned site on Mesquite Avenue, or as an alternative, next to the government complex on East Basin Avenue.

While county officials were discussing the proposed federal detention center last year, which is to be built by a private contractor, Corrections Corporation of America, DeMeo hatched a proposal to have Nye County build a jail instead and lease bed space back to the federal government.

But county commissioners preferred letting a private company do the job.

If the federal detention center is built, Nye County may be able to build a new jail near the site on East Mesquite Avenue, taking advantage of the utilities extension by Corrections Corporation of America, DeMeo said.

The Pahrump jail has a capacity of 36 inmates but has held up to 55, DeMeo said.

There's no ability to supervise female inmates in the cells and no place to isolate inmates with a contagious disease among other problems, he said.

County officials are running the risk of being subject to a federal order to build a new jail, which won't consider cost as a factor, DeMeo said.

"There's only so many times you can tempt fate," the sheriff said. "The place is deplorable."