Knox County officials say it has become too costly to operate a jail in Rockland and that people in custody will be sent to a regional facility in Wiscasset starting next year.

The Knox County Jail will be repurposed into a short-term holding facility in January, according to a press release sent by the county Monday.

Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset currently holds people for Lincoln and Sagahadoc counties. Knox County is joining the multi-county jail authority because the costs to run the jail are projected to be more than $1.2 million above the county’s assessment limit, according to the release.

“The transition will reduce the financial burden on Knox County taxpayers significantly and create time to explore the addition of Knox County to the multi-county jail authority,” County Administrator Amber Christie said in a prepared statement.

Sheriff Patrick Polky said in a prepared statement that the jail would also require expensive renovations.

The agreement could result in layoffs of about a dozen county corrections workers, according to reporting from the Midcoast Villager, which cites a budget crisis stemming from a lack of members on the county’s budget committee.

County officials and Two Bridges Regional Jail are preparing to “identify employment opportunities for those impacted, with the goal of helping everyone remain part of the public safety community,” according to the news release.

Polky did not immediately respond to questions about the agreement and how many people the change would affect. Christie declined to answer questions about the agreement and the financial impact on the county.