Sheriff and county examine jail overcrowding costs vs expansion options

 

[February 02, 2022] 

At the Logan County Board’s Building and Grounds Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 1, one focus of discussion was jail construction proposals and options.

Committee members present were Committee Chairman David Blankenship, Board Vice chairman Scott Schaffenacker, David Hepler and Jim Wessbecher.

Logan County Sheriff Mark Landers said he was able to get some updated numbers from Dewberry. Dewberry is the planning, design and construction firm who did a feasibility study. An addition to the jail is the most economical and feasible. A new addition would be around $10.2 million versus $16 to $18 M for a completely new facility.

After speaking to a congressman’s office about infrastructure grant funding, Landers found out none of that money is slotted for jails. He was told using American Restoration Plan Act (ARPA) Funds to add to the jail would be the best bet.

If the board would approve using $3.5 M of ARPA funds, they would still have around $2 M for other uses. Another $1.5 M may come from a grant Senator Sally Turner is looking into. Landers said ARPA funds and a grant would cover half the costs of the project.

Referendums are tough to sell, and Landers does not think we always need to go to the taxpayer to get funding. A revenue stream is coming in from a public safety sales tax already in place.

Some bonds are getting ready to be paid off, so the county could possibly fund $5 M themselves. Landers said there are plenty of low interest loans for county governments for these types of projects.

The county could come up with funds for half the project and then borrow for the other half with the public safety sales tax (backing) we already have. Landers said if that was done, there is no need to go out to the taxpayers again [to ask for funding]. As he said, no one wants to be taxed more.

Committee members had several questions and suggestions for funding options.

Hepler asked whether there is a revenue source for taking out $5 M in bonds.

Money from the public safety sales tax generates between $700,000 and $900,000 a year. Landers wonders if it could be utilized as the stream for that bond.

A public safety tax referendum was approved several years ago, and Blankenship asked if the amount of safety tax could be raised without a referendum. He thought the public safety tax amount was .50, but up to 1.00 was approved.

To find out the amount, Schaffenacker said to check with the county clerk. He thought the public safety tax amount was .25 and believed the full amount was on the referendum.

The county is always looking for a revenue stream. Some jails are utilizing modern facilities to bring in revenue. For example, Landers said one similar sized county has brought over $20 M in revenue in the past 10 years. They have done that by housing inmates from other agencies because they have a facility that meets standards.

The jail here is at capacity now. Landers said the Illinois Department of Corrections can say that they will not take inmates from the jail. There are seven DOC inmates currently in the county jail.

Our limitation is that the jail was built in the 1970s. It was not built for the size and capacity being housed now.

Blankenship asked about doing work in two phases, starting by remodeling in preparation for an addition. He suggested widening halls, fixing water and sewer lines, and then moving right into the second phase. While working on the project, Blankenship asked whether the jail could be reduced to half of the population numbers.

To do something like that, Landers said inmates would have to be moved. There are now 56 inmates, and another location would charge $55 per day for each inmate. It would be a months long project, so money for housing the inmates other places would add up.

If an addition was put up, Landers said the old part of the jail could be used for overflow. It could even be used for an isolation or quarantine area.

As for moving prisoners, Schaffenacker asked whether that was something the state correctional facility in the county helps with. He also wanted to know if we would be housing inmates from other counties if there was an addition.

In doing an addition, Landers said most of the construction would be on the outside of the building. Therefore, they may not need to move a lot of inmates. Inmates from other counties could be housed if there was an addition.

One question Wessbecher had was where Illinois is on a no cash bail law. He asked whether that would reduce the jail population and put people back on the street.

In the county jail, Landers said everyone in there has committed bigger crimes and must be there. Those who commit retail theft are not considered a threat and would be able to get out.

If people commit a crime and the courts deem them to be a danger, Landers said they would be staying. These people would not be able to just post bond. It is up to the courts to release them.

New laws will not decrease the jail population. As the state tries to decriminalize substances, Landers said it would mean more would be in jail for shorter stints.

Because Blankenship wants the county to be competitive in getting bids, he asked whether Landers has looked at other architects. He has some concerns with firms who do mostly government work.

At this point, Landers has just worked with Dewberry, and they did a $25,000 bid for their design plans.

Dewberry has helped design many jails, so Schaffenacker said jails are in their wheelhouse. He likes the fact that Sherriff Landers has thought of solutions to avoid a tax referendum. Schaffenacker said Landers is thinking ahead on logistics and funding.

As a chief law enforcement officer of an organization responsible for safely housing inmates, Landers is frustrated. He tries to protect the inmates health and safety, and the county from liability, but feels no one wants to put any money into it.

Regarding liability, Blankenship asked if we have had had any claims due to the building. Landers said there have been some incidents.

When looking at options, Blankenship said the county may have to pull from several revenue streams. Whatever the county chooses to do, Blankenship feels material costs need to be considered.

To come up with the size needed for an addition, Landers said Dewberry looked at the average daily population in the jail. An updated structure would pay dividends and benefits all around.

One concern Hepler had is that Dewberry predicted the population growing in the county, but the population has decreased. Hepler wonders if Dewberry missed on other areas too.

Though the county may get $1.5 M from a grant, Hepler would like to see solid numbers from Senator Turner. He would like someone to get in touch with the bonding agent who might know whether the county could get some bonding.

If the county can come up with at least $4 M between ARPA money and a grant, Hepler wants to know if the county could be bonded for $6 M.

By law, the board can only bond up to so much. Schaffenacker said the county has $12 M bonded for the courthouse and thinks $18 M is the ceiling.

Now that interest rates are lower, Hepler thought the county may be able to get more bonds. He said Finance Committee Chairman Steve Jenness may be able to reach out to the bonding agent. Hepler thinks a facilities tax could pass as well.

On the last referendum, Landers said there was a lot of pushback from the community and inflation was lower then. People are done with paying more taxes. He just wants to keep the jail construction in people’s minds.

If the county did a financial feasibility study showing the revenue generating capability, Blankenship said the public might buy it. It may take several town hall meetings.

When a referendum for building new schools in Lincoln passed, Hepler said someone outside of education headed the referendum committee. That way it did not just look like teachers and administrators were out asking for more money.

If the county could find someone outside of the board and law enforcement to chair this initiative, Hepler said that might resonate more with the public.

Setting the narrative differently is something Blankenship thinks would be helpful. If the county could separate the prisoner issue from the building and revenue generating, Blankenship thinks a referendum could fly.

In looking at design, Blankenship would like engineers to think outside the box to yield more savings. Blankenship said best practices encompass many styles including outside the box ones like modular buildings.

To come up with plans, Landers said Dewberry brought in specialists. They know the best practices for facilities. Landers said we need to prioritize what is needed.

[Angela Reiners]