It may be another week or so before Schuylkill County officials learn more details about a planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Tremont.

Meanwhile, some people spoke at a public county commissioners meeting Wednesday to let their opposition to the facility be known.

County Commissioners Chairman Larry L. Padora, who has been representing the county in talks with ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and state and federal officials, told the audience he expects another conference call soon.

“There’s no real update on the ICE facility. We’re working on sending a draft email to DHS … to try to get some more answers and see where they are with the agreements of understanding with the county,” he said. “We want everything in writing.”

At the March 18 public meeting, Padora said ICE had verbally agreed to several requests from the county, including keeping open communications with local emergency responders and making payments of almost $1 million in lieu of taxes to Tremont, the Pine Grove Area School District and the county.

But those who spoke at the meeting Wednesday were skeptical.

Joe Wiscount, Tremont, was concerned that ICE had not drafted a written plan for obtaining fresh water for the center, which is to hold up to 7,500 detainees in addition to 2,500 staff prior to buying the 1.3 million-square foot former Big Lots warehouse for $119 million in January.

“That’s waste, fraud and abuse. That’s negligence,” he said. “That’s incompetence.”

The state Department of Environmental Protection has barred ICE from opening the center until it can prove it will comply with state and federal environmental laws.

Further, DEP has said the daily needs for water at the facility would drain Tremont’s reservoir.

Padora said he has reached out to various state and federal officials, including the new Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin in an effort to help the county get more information and written agreements.

A North Manheim Township woman also spoke, saying she would not trust ICE to follow through even on a written agreement.

Padora said written agreements would stand up in court if the county had to go that route.

Palo Alto resident Jeffrey Dunkel pointed out that ICE also has no written plans for how the center would handle sewage disposal.

ICE has recently asked DEP for an extension until July 26 to submit written plans for water and sewage. The plans were to have been submitted by April 26.