Commissioners say their minds still open on jail,
but not very far

By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizennews.com

A five-hour public hearing last week failed to convince Fayette County commissioners of any need to change course on plans for a new county jail and courthouse, though they haven't slammed the door shut just yet.

After the dust settled from a sometimes rancorous exchange that lasted almost until midnight last Thursday, all five commissioners said this week they haven't heard anything so far that will change their minds.

“I'll be voting to build it where it is, unless some compelling reason occurs before then,” said Commissioner Greg Dunn. “I found no compelling reasons” during the hearing, he added.

The biggest obstacle for opponents to overcome in trying to convince commissioners to change the location of the jail and courthouse seems to be that moving the jail, the courthouse or both to a different location would entail the loss of the current facility.

The commission's plan is to use the existing jail and courthouse, on Johnson Avenue between Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard and Lee Street (plus additional land purchased last year), to build a new $60 million complex.

“I haven't put a pencil to it, but it would probably cost $25 million more if we moved to a new location,” said Commissioner Herb Frady in an interview Monday. It's not just the loss of the current facility to build onto, but also the cost of tearing down the concrete and steel structure, he said.

“To tear that jail down would cost a ton of money,” said Frady.

Prior to last week's public hearing, commission Chairman Harold Bost said commissioners wouldn't change the plan unless presented with “compelling arguments.”

Opponents and supporters of the plan paraded to a microphone last Thursday following an hour-long presentation by county officials. A question-and-answer period was scheduled, followed by an invitation for anyone present to comment on the plan for up to three minutes.

Most of those stating their opinions during the comment period were in favor of the commission's plan.

But long before the comment period arrived at almost 11 p.m., more than half of the crowd of 300 that jammed the County Commission meeting room had filed out, many muttering their belief that plans for the jail are a “done deal.”

One resident expressed the feelings of many opponents. “It's a done — D-u-n-n — deal,” said Jim Futral, who said the current jail is “only yards from my neighborhood.” He was making a joking reference to Commissioner Dunn, jail committee member and the plan's most vocal advocate in recent months, and the comment drew laughter from most of those present.

Commissioners expect to make a final decision on the location for the jail in 30 to 60 days, Bost said during the public hearing. Then, he said, the jail project will be a “done deal.”

Bost said he is waiting for a list of professionally sanctioned criteria for jail locations from the Georgia Sheriff's Association.

“I'm going to wait until I get that and review those criteria, and then make one final review of my notes, and then I'll be ready to vote,” he said, adding he hopes to have his mind made up by the end of the week.

“It's not a done deal in my mind,” said Commissioner Glen Gosa. “I'm still evaluating everything. I want to remain open and take into account everything I've heard.”

Gosa said when commissioners originally began planning the massive project at the current site, they made two assumptions.

“I assumed we were building a facility that would be safe to the public and its employees,” he said. “If I can hear evidence that it is not safe, that would be a compelling reason to reconsider.

“Another assumption is that this is the most economical plan we could come up with. If I hear something that tells me it's not the most economical route, that would be something that would be compelling,” he added.

Gosa said thus far he hasn't heard anything that convinces him of either, “but I won't complete my review until I've heard from the last person that has anything to present.”

Frady said he also is still keeping an open mind, but none of the arguments presented last Thursday have convinced him.

“Thirty-six people spoke against the plan,” he said. “They probably all bought their homes while the jail was there.”

Commissioner Linda Wells echoed the idea that moving to a new site would mean “bringing the nuisance to the people.” At the current site, most people moved to their homes in spite of the jail being there. “They moved to the nuisance,” she said during the hearing.

“I didn't find any compelling reason to change my mind” during the hearing, she said this week. “I would have had to have heard some reason that... there would be a huge public safety problem for the surrounding neighborhood. The new jail will be farther away from people than currently,” she said.