Vote to be made tonight on Brunswick jail expansion

BRUNSWICK, Ga. -- Some people in Brunswick are pretty mad about homes being destroyed to make way for a bigger jail.

Sandy Dean lives and works in downtown Brunswick.

“I came here 12 years ago, got lost here, and ended up moving here…and ended up buying a building and a home. There's just something magical about this area.”

But now she and others are worried Brunswick’s small town charm will fade away.

The county has voted to expand the jail located on I Street because its severely overcrowded.

Ronald Corbett, Glynn County’s Undersheriff, believes this expansion is necessary.

“We have added enough beds to get it up to 344 to get it up to maximum capacity and we have been averaging close to 500 inmates a day.”

They’re already bulldozing homes across the street from the jail in order to make the expansion

Jeff Kilgore, another Brunswick resident, is not a fan of where the jail expansion will be either.

“Having the detention facility right on the waterfront right in prime property in downtown Brunswick is not in the best interest for the citizens of Glynn County.”

Kilgore and Dean are part of the newly formed group, “Defend Downtown Brunswick”.

They say they understand the jail needs to expand, but they just wish it wasn't in downtown.

And although commissioners have already voted on it, they say their fight is not over yet.

Kilgore believes “there's enough people out there to tell them stop it that they're going have to listen to us.”

Neighbors say they'll meet with commissioners next week.

In the meantime, a temporary jail facility is being built to help with overcrowding until the expansion is done.