The county is one step closer to constructing a new women’s addition at the Covington County Jail.

On Wednesday, commissioners voted to solicit bids for a 42-bed, two-cell block facility with a nurse’s station, washroom and storage area.

Commission Chairman Bill Godwin said, “We met with the architects last week, and they said they were ready to proceed if we’d take bids.”

In June, the commission announced the need for additional space as the current jail is over-capacity in its women’s area.