Lafayette County Sheriff Joey East announced that construction of a new sheriff’s substation in Harmontown should begin next week, pending final preparations.

To facilitate the project, the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors approved several key measures during Monday’s meeting, including a conditional use permit, a dimensional variance, and the final site plan for the substation.

The conditional use permit allows the construction of a quasi-public structure in a Rural A-1 zoned district, as permitted with board approval. Additionally, the property’s steep slope necessitated a variance to allow the building to be positioned closer to the road.

The county acquired the 1.3-acre property for the substation in September 2023, purchasing it from Tina Downing. Located on Lafayette County Road 517, less than 600 feet south of Harmontown’s center, the new substation will offer centralized access to northern areas of Lafayette County, including the region near Sardis Lake.

Deputies stationed in Harmontown spend an entire shift in the area. However, they often face challenges due to the lack of facilities for basic needs such as restrooms, meal breaks, report writing or even brief downtime.

The new substation will also provide meeting space for both deputies and the community.