By Lee Bonorden, staff writer

AUSTIN &8212; The highly anticipated final decision on a proposed new Mower County Jail and Justice Center project did not come Friday.

A crowded standing-room-only crowd watched the county commissioners and Austin city officials spend more than three hours discussing the issue.

When they finished, the commissioners voted 3-2 to delay action until Tuesday, Nov. 27, the next regularly scheduled county board meeting date.

The reason was because the county wants an on-paper commitment from the city as to exactly what their participation will be if the commissioners choose a downtown solution to jail over-crowding and court security problems.

And, the county wants the city to list exact cost figures on that paper in order for them to make a decision.

Nobody who sat through the meeting left the commissioners&8217; meeting room pleased.

&8220;I think the lack of dollars and cents figures triggered this action today,&8221; said Commissioner Ray Tucker. &8220;The lack of knowing how much money it&8217;s going to cost any of the variables downtown is why we have to do this.

&8220;And, we&8217;re throwing another block into the mix and I honestly expect the city to pay for that block,&8221; Tucker said.

&8220;The city council was not all present here today and they need to decide whether or not it is feasible for them to pay that money or, perhaps, they don&8217;t want to see the downtown destroyed,&8221; he said.

According to Tucker, he has enough information, when the Austin City Council supplies it, to make a final decision of his own.

&8220;Once that is decided whether or not they want to participate and to accept part of the financial responsibility &8212; whatever decision they make is fine &8212; at that point we can make that final decision on Nov. 27 and be done with this,&8221; the commissioner said.

Tucker made the motion Friday to delay a decision until Nov. 27. Commissioner Dave Tollefson seconded it.

Tucker, Tollefson and Commissioner Dick Lang, voted for the delay.

Commissioners Richard P. Cummings and Dave Hillier voted against the delay.

Cummings and Hillier have never wavered from their belief, expressed repeatedly, that the green field site south of the Austin Municipal Airport will work and a downtown solution will not.

&8220;The original jail and justice center study committee recommended the green field site and that we build a facility that meets our needs and not a facility that meets the site chosen,&8221; Hillier said.

Hillier said when the commissioners agreed to allow city officials to make still another downtown solution presentation and for a study &8212; the eighth in the last six years &8212; of a joint county-city committee, the information sought by the county board is still lacking.

&8220;Our goal on Sept. 18, when we agreed on this latest study, was a dollars and cents comparison of the site options,&8221; Hillier said. &8220;That&8217;s not done.&8221;

Tollefson, who ran for election to the county board in 2006, pledging to fight for a downtown solution, said Friday, the latest delay is not a &8220;victory&8221; for proponents of a downtown solution.

&8220;We&8217;re not looking for victories,&8221; Tollefson said. &8220;We&8217;re looking for a common-sense approach to this issue to get it done, and the cost is still an issue.

&8220;We have to find out what kind of commitment the city will make to see if this will work downtown,&8221; he said.

Then, after the city&8217;s commitment is in hand, he can make a decision, he said.

The Austin City Council will meet Monday night in regular session and to conduct a work session to discuss what the city&8217;s financial role will be in the downtown solutions still being considered.

The Friday meeting examined the original criteria established by the commissioners to consider a downtown solution.

The commissioners heard from a district judge, the county attorney, the county sheriff and the county correctional services director all re-stating their opinions the green field site meets the needs demonstrated for a jail and justice center.

Austin Mayor Tom Stiehm read a letter to the county commissioners that, in part, said the latest study showed a downtown site for the facilities would be less expensive by about $1 million.&8221;

&8220;This option keeps our police and sheriff&8217;s departments located together and provides space at the courthouse for a future Health and Human Services move,&8221; the letter also stated.

At another point in the meeting, Stiehm said the council is divided over what the city&8217;s role &8212; financial or other &8212; should be in the project.