Responsible decision on North Park — what's next? | Opinion

NOTE: This guest column article featuring President & CEO Eric Spoonmore, was originally published by The Herald-Times on Friday, November 28th, 2025.

On Nov. 3, the Monroe County Council voted to reject the purchase of the North Park property between Bloomington and Ellettsville to construct a $230 million justice complex. The project included a new jail and sheriff’s department, nine new courtrooms with accompanying judges’ chambers and new offices for the prosecutor’s staff, county clerk’s staff and the public defender’s office.
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While the proposal for North Park failed, one fact remains: County officials remain committed to the urgent need for, at minimum, a new jail. The existing facility is inadequate and no longer meets modern operational standards. A safe, humane, and functional jail is a critical component of a forward-looking justice system. Fortunately, there are viable and accessible sites near Bloomington where the county can construct a new facility that better reflects our community’s values. And while the jail itself does not need to be located downtown, all other justice-related services absolutely should remain there.

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