By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

Fayette County commissioners got an idea what to expect at their upcoming public hearing on plans for a new jail and courthouse during their business meeting last week.

A parade of 18 residents strode to the microphone during the public comment portion of the meeting, 16 of them to express their displeasure with the county's plan to expand the current county jail.

“This is a bitter pill and it will not be swallowed,” said Terri Crump. “Fayetteville will be known as the place where the big jail is,” said Stephanie Weaver.

Each speech in opposition to the jail was met with applause and whoops from about 40 residents who attended in support of the speakers.

Two residents, A.J. VanLandingham and Brent Hostetler, received about half the volume of applause when they made comments in support of the jail expansion plan.

“It's going to have to go somewhere,” said Hostetler, “and the present location would serve as a pretty good example and a warning to potential criminals that that's where they're going to be going.”

“I hope we can look at facts and not let emotion dictate what we have to say,” said VanLandingham.

Commissioners have purchased land to add to the county's previously owned acreage around the current jail and judicial complex, creating a 65-acre tract on which they hope to put the jail and courthouse with plenty of room left over for a future county administrative office building.

The acreage is bordered by Lee Street on the west, Johnson Avenue on the north and Jimmy Mayfield Boulevard on the east (there's no street bordering the complex on the south).

That location is too close to homes and schools, opponents say. “Would you live within four miles of a jail?” Brian Malinowski asked commissioners.

Commission Chairman Harold Bost said following the meeting that his own home is within about five miles of the jail, adding that in Fayette County, it would be impossible to find a location that is more than four miles from subdivisions.

The entrance to Whitewater Creek, where Bost lives, is just under five miles from the current jail.

According to the plan, the existing jail will be renovated to house only maximum security prisoners, and two pods (one medium security and one minimum security) will be added, increasing its holding capacity from 75 currently to 459 when finished.

The design includes two future pods that, if built, would eventually increase the jail's capacity to 843.

Underground passages will connect the jail and new courthouse, and the current judicial center will be renovated and used as Sheriff's Department offices.

Residents object to the traffic they believe expansion of the complex will create, the impact of such large government buildings on Fayetteville's history-based downtown revitalization efforts, and safety problems they believe will be increased with more inmates living at the jail and more accused criminals coming to court.

Alternate solutions offered by the opponents range from moving the entire complex out of downtown Fayetteville to scaling down the expansion so that the buildings are less obtrusive, and less expensive.

More details on the county plan will be presented at a public hearing Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at the County Administrative Complex.

During last week's meeting, commission Chairman Bost vowed that commissioners will listen to comments as long as residents want to make them.

“We'll stay here until sunrise if that's what it takes,” he said.