Jail upgrades will cost county
Staff reporter
The commissioner's lists of concerns about the county jail were similar and all pointed to one thing — safety. Safety for employees, safety for inmates.
The current jail set up requires jail staff and dispatch personnel to walk within reach of inmates to deliver meals, medications, and conduct routine checks.
Which is more feasible — upgrading the current facility of constructing a new one?
Dr. Allen Beck, an independent consultant with Justice Concepts, Inc., attended Monday's Marion County Commission meeting with representatives of Law Kingdon, Inc., to discuss a feasibility study for a new multimillion dollar jail.
In the end, everyone came to the same conclusion — the county could pour several millions of dollars in a 1930s structure and still have an inadequate and outdated structure or the county could invest $7-8 million in a new facility with the possibility of recouping expenses by taking out-of-county prisoners.
There is one catch. Is a multimillion dollar project feasible for a county of 13,000 people?
That's where Dr. Beck comes in. His job is to research the current jail situation and determine if the county can support a new jail project. The difference between his information and that previously obtained through another consultant is he will not only provide census and space information with a forecast of future needs, but will determine supplies and employees that will be needed in a new facility.
"I will get it down to the last pair of shower slippers needed," Beck said.
Previous cost estimates indicated the jail could not be built within the $7-8 million that a bond consultant determined the county could spend for such a facility and stay within its means.
Several months ago, Marion County Commissioner Dan Holub and Sheriff Lee Becker toured the new Sumner County Jail. Law Kingdon, Inc. was the construction manager for the project which was built for $6 million.
Beck said he was not in the business to make people happy by providing the information the county wants to hear — that it is feasible to move forward.
"My goal is to use my background and knowledge to solve problems," he said.
If there is a reasonable solution with the current jail, he will present that information with information about a new facility.
Problems of current jail
Commission chairman Randy Dallke presented his list of concerns.
— Safety for personnel within the jail structure.
— Updating of old jail in the 1980s created an inadequate sally port or area to transport prisoners to and from the facility.
— Safety for officers when escorting prisoners from the basement to the third floor where the cells are located. The narrow staircase makes it difficult when escorting prisoners who do not cooperate.
— Age and design of cells and cell doors.
— Overcrowding of facility. The facility was designed for 11 beds. Becker said there has been as many as 27 inmates.
— County jail needs to meet state guidelines for fire safety which could include 24-hour jail staff and/or a fire escape.
Other concerns are related to paying for additional staff.
"Some say, 'If you build it, they will come', but what if they don't?" Dallke asked.
Dennis Smith, president of Law Kingdon, Inc., said his firm does not design facilities based on revenue from out-of-county inmates.
All agreed the bonds needed to be paid with tax dollars and not contingent on additional revenue from out-of-county prisoners.
The ultimate goal of the commission is to build the facility large enough to house paying prisoners which could pay off the bond earlier than planned, end the special taxation, and even make the sheriff's department self-sufficient.
For commissioner Bob Hein, his concerns were:
— Safety for staff and inmates. "If there is a fire, we need to get them out," Hein said.
— Determine the number of beds needed to bring in additional revenue. He would like to see the facility have 72-100 beds.
"If you have a suicide and a nasty lawyer gets involved, it could mean disaster to the county," Beck said. "It could become a tremendous tax burden."
Beck had toured the jail prior to attending the commission meeting and indicated that the jail was clean.
"The intention is good," he said.
Holub expressed his concerns.
— Plumbing and electrical problems and ADA requirements. Even with improvements to water and electricity, the facility would continue to be expensive to operate.
— Concerned about wasting tax dollars. "Even if we spend a million on the old facility, it will still be substandard," Holub said.
Holub continued that taxpayers can pay now or pay later and suffer in-between.
— Safety of dispatch personnel, particularly during storms. Emergency communication workers are required to remain at their posts during emergencies, including weather. The current location is unsafe, Holub said, during storms.
— Need additional beds to offset expenses. A 10-15 bed facility would be a tax burden while a 72-bed facility could generate revenue to pay the bond.
Another issue the county is facing is the possibility of state legislators changing statutes that would require offenders with sentences of three years or less to remain in local jails instead of going to prison.
Becker expressed his concerns other than those already expressed by the commission.
— Cannot classify or segregate prisoners. There are violent offenders with non-violent offenders.
— No privacy for 911 center. Inmates can hear emergency transmissions and watch dispatchers.
— Compliance issues that include evacuating inmates and personnel within four minutes.
— The need to upgrade heating and air conditioning units, as well as electrical and plumbing.
— ADA issues that include accommodations for handicapped prisoners and personnel.
Smith of Law Kingdon, Inc., said putting money in that building would not solve the problems.
Challenges
Beck asked the commission what its challenges were in making a decision.
The main challenge is informing the voting public so an informed decision can be made in the voting booth.
"We have to have the voters approve it," Dallke said. "If they do not, we will have to do an alternative plan. Either way, we're going to have to spend a lot of money."
"Shipping them out is not cheaper," Holub said.
Costs of additional jailers at the current facility also need to be factored. Those costs could be up to $200,000 per year for six jailers.
Conclusions
At the conclusion of the discussion, Beck told the commission that he would provide information regarding what the bond will and will not cover, ongoing budget for operating, and evaluate options of operating a larger facility.
He also suggested the county look at costs to renovate the current jail.
Beck asked if it was possible to get assurances from other counties to receive their inmates.
As far as Tony Rangel of Law Kingdon was concerned, the most important way to promote the jail project to voters is to tell the truth.
He used the example of the recent Sumner County Jail project. Those voters approved a one percent sales tax for a total of 7.3 percent on the county level.
"Sumner County doom-seers said sales tax revenue would decrease if the tax was increased but actually revenue increased," Rangel said. The bond will be retired earlier than planned.
Rangel presented another interesting fact. He found current costs at the Sumner County jail over a 10-year period to be more than a new facility.
Sumner County voters were presented with three options — improve the jail at the old site, build a new jail at a new site, or keeping everything the same. Voters chose the second option.
"Being truthful and honest made project successful," he said.
Becker presented a letter from the state fire marshal's office with a deadline of Monday to respond. The commission asked the architects of Law Kingdon to assist Becker in responding.
The commission reviewed a proposal from Law Kingdon for their services and discussed most effective way to present information to the public.
The commission came to the consensus of having the question of either an increase in sales tax or property tax or a combination of both on the ballot in the November 2008.
"We'll have only one shot at this," Dallke said.
Rangel suggested the commission form a citizen jail committee to oversee activities of the architect and to assist in providing information to the public.
Holub asked about grant funds for the project. Beck responded there may be some federal funds if the county takes federal prisoners.
A feasibility analysis will be presented at a future meeting.
