Sheriff Dennis Meeks said Friday that he plans to move inmates into the new addition of the Covington County Jail “probably around the first of October.”

Meeks said the County Commission gave him the OK to open the addition at this week’s meeting.

Meeks said the reason for the hold up in opening was that he would have to hire three more corrections officers and they would need to be trained.

“This will allow me to have two on each shift,” he said.

Meeks said previously that moving the women to the new facility would free up 28 additional beds in the mail jail.

“We are going to use that for additional men’s space,” he said Friday.

The original plans for the addition, drawn by PH&J Architects of Montgomery, were for a 42-bed, two-cell block facility that includes a nurse’s station, washroom and storage area.

Each cellblock has two showers, two sinks and two toilets.

Plans were later modified for only 38 bunks.

The facility was planned to provide additional space to house female inmates.

The construction bid was awarded in April 2014.