Preliminary jail plans unveiled

Tuesday, December 23, 2003

Preliminary drawings of a jail proposed for Red Willow County impressed Red Willow County commissioners and sheriff during the commissioners' meeting Monday morning.

Architect Douglas Boyd ACI/Boland Inc., Leawood, Kan., told commissioners and Sheriff Gene Mahon construction of the jail, designed as a 40-bed facility, would cost just a little less than $4 million.

Mahon said he was impressed with the design of the "central control," from which all jail cells are visible. The plan allows for flexibility within the layout of the cells, whether they are single-person, two-person or dormitory cells, but all line up with the central control area, Boyd said.

Mahon said he was also pleased that central control and booking-holding could be manned by two uniformed officers per shift. "It looks as if it could be run with a minimum amount of manpower," Mahon said.

Mahon questioned the need for the full-service kitchen included in the proposal, saying that would require hiring a cook and kitchen staff. Commission Chairman Earl McNutt said, "Our main concern would be whether we have enough beds."

The jail would serve male and female inmates, but not juveniles. "Our female population is on an increase," Mahon said.

Public access is limited to the reception area and the public half of the visitors' area. There would be no prisoners beyond secured perimeters, Boyd said.

The drive-through sally-port is designed with booking facilities, 24-hour holding cells and medical and/or isolation cells.

The plan includes, "lots of options and lots of flexibility," Boyd said.

Boyd's $3.9 million figure does not include land purchase. Boyd recommends five acres to provide an ideal screen from the general population.

Boyd will return in January with formal cost estimates for the building (with and without food service), manpower requirements and estimates of operational costs.

Commissioner Leigh Hoyt said prisoners from other counties would be needed to make a Red Willow County jail profitable. Fellow commissioner Steve Downer cautioned, however, "Don't depend on it." Downer said, and Boyd agreed, it would not be wise to budget as if other counties will use the Red Willow County facility.

In other action, commissioners:

* Agreed to the yearly inspection of the fire sprinkler system at the Kiplinger Arena on the Red Willow County fairgrounds.

* Agreed to ask the REWARDS grant-writer to apply for continuing household waste grants, working with the Resource Conservation and Development office in Cambridge.

* Tabled until their Jan. 5 meeting a decision regarding a request from Doug Hauxwell for a recalculation of property taxes for 1998 and 1999 for Red Willow Pig Co. Inc. Commissioners will seek the advice of County Attorney Paul Wood before taking any action.

* Reviewed and filed the sheriff's monthly revenue report.

Commissioners will discuss some E911 addressing issues with Tim Sullivan of GeoCom, who addressed Red Willow County's rural homes, and E911 Coordinator Ike Brown at a commissioners' meeting Jan. 5 at 11 a.m.

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