ATLANTA — A $68 million agreement to sell the Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County is on hold as city leaders seek more information about plans for the facility and what will happen to its current employees.

The Atlanta City Council Public Safety Committee voted Monday to put the proposed sale on hold after the city and Fulton County recently agreed on a purchase price.

Council members raised questions about Fulton County’s plans for the facility. Councilman Byron Amos questioned the need for additional jail space as crime declines.

“Crime is down in the city of Atlanta. Crime is down in these other cities of the county. If crime keeps going down, why is there an ever increasing need to increase the space to place lawbreakers,” Amos said.

Fulton County’s proposed purchase comes as the county works to improve conditions at the Fulton County Jail, which has faced overcrowding, understaffing and dangerous conditions.

City leaders are also considering what the proposed sale would mean for employees currently working at the Atlanta City Detention Center.

Atlanta Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burks said Fulton and DeKalb counties have expressed interest in hiring some employees. Other city jobs could also be available, and Atlanta is considering early retirement packages for some longtime workers.

“We’re looking at employees right at about 25 years and over, with years of service, to see if there’s an opportunity for us to bring to this council to pass legislation for some possibility of an early out,” Burks said.

The city also wants to continue using some space inside the detention center to hold Atlanta detainees, meaning some staff would remain at the facility.

“In our proposal, continue to be a space within ACDC to hold city of Atlanta detainees, which means that we will continue to have some limited staff but not all staff,” Burks said.

The Public Safety Committee has a work session planned for next week to take a closer look at the proposed agreement.