Citizens of Fayetteville, beware! It appears that the Fayette County Commissioners are conducting a media blitz concerning the proposed jail expansion with titles such as “No State Prison,” “We're Not going To Build a Maximum Security Prison.”

Is this tactic to detract from the true issues regarding the proposed jail expansion that the citizens of Fayetteville need to be made aware of? When my husband raised questions regarding the jail expansion at a recent commissioners meeting, at no time did he infer that the jail was going to be a state prison. Yes, it currently houses a percentage of state prisoners for an indefinite amount of time, but simply put, we do not want a large correctional facility in our neighborhood.

In speaking with numerous citizens of Fayetteville, it is obvious that many are not truly aware about what is going to happen between Lee Street and Jimmy Mayfield Boulevard. The proposed complex will have a strong impact on surrounding neighborhoods including Williamsburg Circle, Woodgate, Mitchell Estates, North and South Jeff Davis, and other neighborhoods within close proximity to the jail.

Traffic leading into Fayetteville on Jimmy Mayfield will be impacted by the vehicles exiting the 1,400 parking spaces planned for this complex. Our city schools will be exposed to the threat of a much larger population of prisoners and possible breakouts.

The current county correctional facility contains approximately 80 cells and is now, as we all know, filled to double capacity. The proposed jail “concept” will contain two pods housing a total of 384 “spaces” in addition to the 80 cells the current jail holds.

In speaking with county commissioner [Herb] Frady, also a member of the jail planning committee, I have learned that this is Phase I of the expansion and as the county builds out, Phase II will be put into action, adding another two pods housing 384 more spaces. That totals 848 prisoners, which is a very conservative figure.

The commissioners project that they won't need to build Phase II until 2010, but if anyone read the article in the AJC on Saturday, Aug. 28, regarding the overflow in the Fulton County jail, they will understand that Phase II will be built much sooner than 2010. Fulton County jail was built to last out a 20-year span and within 10 years, it has filled to double capacity.

Also note that the present county jail holds state prisoners, many being maximum security prisoners. Maximum security state prisoners often face long sentences for major crimes punishable by more than one year. This includes rapists, robbers and drug dealers. These criminals are now being detained at our county jail until there is available space to transfer them to the “big house.”

To quote Commissioner [Greg] Dunn [The Citizen, 2-17-99] regarding state prisoners and the jail expansion, “I think it's like `Field of Dreams.' If you build it they will come. The state of Georgia will fill every bed we've got.”

A county correctional facility of this type should not be built within the dense population of the city. This will affect the three elementary schools, middle school, and high school within walking distance of the jail. East Fayette Elementary students are already familiar with being locked in their schools commonly referred to as “lockdown,” resulting from escaped offenders from the courts. A larger jail will affect real estate value of the surrounding communities and it will affect the efforts of the city of Fayetteville to preserve the downtown corridor.

I have been told by the Fayette County commissioners that they chose the present location for the jail expansion because of the proximity to the courts and sheriff's office. A company called Facility Group, Inc. was hired in 1998 to determine if the current site could be expanded upon or if alternative sites should be studied for a new complex [The Citizen, 9-9-98].

In speaking with Mr. Rich of Facility Group, alternative sites were never considered. He explained to me that the commissioners “dictated” to him to evaluate only the current jail site. He told the commissioners that the current site of 33 acres was “landlocked” as to how much could be built on the site. So over the past few months the commissioners have been quietly buying up neighboring properties to expand the site.

Our neighbors in Clayton County are building their new jail complex in a business-type district on Tara Boulevard. The city of Jonesboro annexed this “county” property to their city limits. Why can't our county build a new judicial complex on the outskirts of the city and if need be, annex it to the city limits of Fayetteville? In driving around Fayetteville there is plenty of property for sale — land bordering on the city limits along Ga. Highway 54 West and on Ga. Highway 85 North. This land is certainly more suitable to building a large jail and government complex than the downtown corridor of Fayetteville.

The county won't lose. They can probably turn around and sell their proposed jail property and buildings and make double what they paid for it.

The decision to expand the jail at its present location will affect thousands of Fayetteville residents who chose to live within the city limits because they were attracted to the wonderful small-town atmosphere. Property values of these neighborhoods bordering the proposed jail are sure to deteriorate.

Economically, a large jail facility within a city has a negative impact. If the jail were to be built at a more rural location on the outskirts of the city, then it would be a resident's choice to build a home and live near the facility. Since this isn't the case, the commissioners are forcing city residents to have a large correctional facility in their backyards.

I urge concerned citizens who live within Fayetteville's city limits to please join me in standing up against our county commissioners and their decision to put this complex on the only piece of remaining green space remaining within the city core.

I also urge residents to take a walk on the lovely walking path located on the proposed jail site behind the Juvenile Court building (the old library). Take in the views of the deer with their fawn and the magnificent huge live oaks and imagine a jail on this lovely property. Criminals are not deserving of such beauty.

We can't allow a handful of commissioners to get away with making such a negative impact on our community!

Denise Fair
Fayetteville

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