Is new jail a 'Dunn'
deal 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.
|