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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

Study the issues

Monday, April 30, 2012

Dear Editor,

Between now and Tuesday, May 15, I encourage every citizen of Red Willow County to thoroughly study the facts concerning the construction of a jail building and, as a result of that study, decide whether or not the building of a jail is in the best interest of the county.

The Board of Commissioners of Red Willow County are strongly in favor of building the jail and, therefore, are campaigning diligently for the approval of bonds to help finance the construction costs.

A group of citizens, including myself, disagree. We believe the voters of Red Willow County should vote no on the approval of bonding power for jail construction.

Each of the opponents of jail construction have specific reasons for their disapproval. My reasons are as follows:

1. The cost for Red Willow County to build and operate a jail is excessive and places an unneeded burden on Red Willow County taxpayers. If a jail is built, Red Willow County's other obligations -- including road maintenance and county office operations -- will be unfairly forced to control costs and reduce services.

2. Red Willow County has fulfilled its jail obligation efficiently and economically during the past 30 years by contracting for jail space with our neighbors in Hitchcock and Frontier counties in Nebraska and Decatur County in Nebraska. The rental of jail space is an excellent example of regional cooperation with the rental fees from Red Willow County helping provide funding for the jail staffs and operational costs in neighboring counties.

3. As we look to the future, the citizens of Red Willow County and the City of McCook need to encourage city and county leaders to adopt a system of countywide law enforcement. The duplication of law enforcement services is costing the taxpayers of Red Willow County and the taxpayers of the City of McCook unnecessary dollars of support.

This has been illustrated by the unfortunate inability of the city and county to cooperate on jail matters, and threatens to cost more dollars if dispatch questions cannot be resolved efficiently and economically.

Thanks for your consideration of my viewpoints. But, more important, please study the issues for yourself. As citizens, we are obligated to see that our leaders represent us in a fair and reasonable manner.

Respectfully submitted,

Gene O. Morris,

McCook

Comments
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  • Gene,

    One question. Were you raising these concerns when the city was moving forward without the county from 2007-2010? I don't recall you speaking up about this during that time frame.

    Obviously the city leaders do not agree with your idea of county wide law enforcement or they wouldn't have built a new McCook Police Station with not even the consideration of 96 hr. holding cells.

    As for the cost, one needs to ask the city if they will reduce there overall budget by $500,000 per year since they will no longer be in the jail business. Those cost will be fully assumed by the county when the city moves to their new location and really discredit the whole "it is too expensive argument". The savings from the McCook budget could offset the county increase you are so concerned about.

    Red Willow County has been in the rental business for 30 years. Maybe it is time to bring those dollars back to Red Willow County. I think they have done enough to support the surrounding area jails for the past three decades.

    There is no mention of your legal efforts that you threatened last month. Please give us an update.

    -- Posted by Todd Cappel on Mon, Apr 30, 2012, at 2:31 PM

  • I cannot believe how misleading this story is. To lie to the public that if they vote no on the bond issue it is a vote against the bonding power of the county and leading the readers to believe that they can vote against the jail. That is absolutely not the case. Mr. Morris needs to issue a correction.

    -- Posted by Todd Cappel on Tue, May 1, 2012, at 3:06 PM

  • Geno M.... You need to move back to Benkleman America and try your public article of factlesss B.S on a public that actual may believe your printed comments but i doubt it they because the also are forward thinking community as Redwillow county is today.

    Congrats again to all elected public RedWillow county officials on your staying the course with building a new jail at the same old location that served us all for 100 plus years vs the actions of a few disgruntled & factless groupies in the Morris Gang.

    -- Posted by Cornwhisperer on Thu, May 3, 2012, at 2:12 PM

  • Gene, there are misleading areas in your article. You realize the jail IS going to be built, correct? The system we have used for the past 30 years included a holding cell for the over-nighters, that's not the case for the next 100 years. Todd, that issue by the way is NOT a City issue, that was mandated by the feds. Why would the City include a holding cell in the new building when the City isn't in the jail business? That's like a dentist having room dedicated to putting casts on broken bones. Handy to have but not really all that relevant. The City has had the burden of maintaining the holding cells, if they have the opportunity to escape that cost, its fiscally wise to do so. Maybe one day Unicef will get into the jailer business and flip the facility costs involved with holding cells. Until that happens, a jail might be the best answer. Now, segwaying from that cost, please tell me where you are coming up with the $500,000.00 budget costs. I've never seen that official number.

    Also while I'm on a roll, again, why do you bring the Municipal Facility into this? You remind me of my daughters when you do your comparison. I will chew on my 7 year old for eating in her room and her defense is "Well Mary, (her 12 year old sister), was eating in the living-room. You see, it doesn't support her case, it won't get her out of trouble, its a diversionary tactic only. At best it might cause strife for someone else, but does her no good, its immaterial.

    Some may want the jail, others may not.... We'll never know. Let me repeat that for you so you can wrap your head around it as this is a topic that you tend to skip around. "We will never know.". We won't know because it won't go to vote. Its not a democratic procedure.

    Say what you will Todd, but the comparison between the Municipal Facility and the jail isn't valid, and this is why, you yourself voted against the municipal facility, you voted for the co-op between the City & county law enforcement center. On both accounts you voted, you had the benefit of being heard, the jail.... not so much. I would wager to say that if you were opposed to the jail, you would be crying out foul as you didn't have the right to be heard.

    -- Posted by Nick Mercy on Fri, May 4, 2012, at 8:39 AM

  • I oppose the commissioners decision to proceed without a vote to build. this procedure, while legal, will not go over well with southwest Nebraska. The voters of Red Willow County have consistently rejected building a jail.

    The voters need to stand up and tell these 3 commissioners to stay within the levy, just like Eldon Moore says. He was had more experience than any of the 3 current commissioners.

    -- Posted by boojum666 on Sat, May 5, 2012, at 6:55 PM
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