May grand jurors who reconvened this week issued a written report saying &#8220satisfactory progress” is being made on one of its recommendations – replacing the Warren County Jail.

&#8220The jail is just really out of date and not large enough to meet all of its needs,” said Joe Tom, a member of the grand jury which took the rare step of asking to meet again to gauge how public officials were responding to its initial report.

District 5 Supervisor Richard George, president of the county governing board, met with the 17 grand jurors. He reported on the progress of a comprehensive study of building needs in the county and said he’d be attending a workshop on the topic in August.

&#8220Right now we’re working with the sheriff’s department to decide what we’re really needing,” George said. &#8220We need to determine the size and location needed of the facility, as well as the construction and its future operations.”

The jail on Grove Street at Cherry was completed in 1979 for $2 million and has been expanded since. Options include expansion or rebuilding on a more remote site.

The facility has operated at or near capacity almost since it opened.

Grand jury members said in the report issued Friday they feel &#8220satisfactory progress is being made on this project.”

The jurors also met with Vicksburg Deputy Police Chief Richard O’Bannon, a state narcotics agent and Warren County District Attorney Gil Martin.

Warren County grand juries, chosen randomly from registered voters, are empaneled four times a year – in January, May, July and October. In private meetings, their duties include hearing evidence in criminal cases to decide whether enough evidence exists for a trial and, if so, on what charges.

Grand jurors are also charged with investigating and reporting on matters of public interest, and their sessions generally include tours of public buildings and hearing presentations from public officials.