MidHudsonNews [dot] com is reporting the Greene County Legislature Public Safety Committee September 5, approved a resolution to permit the issuance of a $39 million bond to fund the construction of a new county jail. The measure is now subject to approval by the Finance Committee, before it is presented to the full legislature on September 19. If the bond resolution is ultimately approved, the bidding process and construction will begin next year, Public Safety Committee Chairman Bill Lawrence said. Windham representative, Legislator Lori Torgersen remains supportive of an alternative proposal to develop a shared facility with Columbia County. “We have an incredible opportunity in Greene County right now not only to saddle future generations with incredible debt that would quadruple our county’s debt right now, but also to be leaders in criminal justice and to be consistent with the direction of creating alternatives to incarceration,” she said. Daniel Zuckerman is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the vote on the resolution was 5 to 3 with Democrats Torgersen, Kevin Lennon of Catskill and Aidan O'Connor Jr. of Durham, voting "no." Those voting in favor of the measure were Legislature Chairman Kevin Lewis, along with Republicans Lawrence of Cairo, Charles Martinez of Coxsackie, Harry Lennon of Cairo and Pat Linger of New Baltimore. Before and after the vote on the resolution, members of the public loudly shared their objections to the project, which were based largely on its projected cost. Emotions ran high and many of those present confronted lawmakers about their perceived indifference to public input, Zuckerman writes. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.