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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

A better site for jail

Friday, October 28, 2011

Dear Editor,

I hope our county commissioners have the courage to build a much-needed jail without going to a public vote. Folks in McCook were fooled into spending $5,000,000 for a new municipal facility and may not wish to incur another large debt.

In their half-truths, the city told us "taxes will not be raised and there would be no new taxes" if we approved their facility. They knew, and anyone not in a coma knew, by eliminating the holding cells from the city facility, the county would have to take over the task and raise taxes to do so. Those who said they would gladly pay more taxes for the municipal facility will get their wish ... more taxes to pay for a jail and the staff necessary to operate it.

The city was like our friends in Washington who say "we're not going to raise your taxes" under their breath, "we're going to raise taxes on stuff you buy."

McCook will benefit directly from a new jail. It will create local jobs. It will bring tax dollars we now spend on out-of-county jails back to Red Willow. I foresee a trend toward regional jails and this will give us a leg up.,

I disagree with building the jail north of the courthouse. To build it across the street from the Frank Lloyd Wright house would be a crime and I don't see room for expansion. I would suggest the county consider the northwest corner of the block south of the courthouse. If they could acquire the law office on that site, and the house south of the city parking lot, by building a new parking lot for the city on that lot, the present parking lot could be utilized for the jail. (Maybe the house north of the courthouse could be remodeled into law offices to replace those the county would need.)

I realize it may cost more and require more cooperation.

As long as I'm dreaming ... I would love to see a combined effort to acquire the Sutton House from Mr. and Mrs. Korell under timing and terms suitable to them.

I've heard the outstanding job they did in bringing the home back to its original beauty has made it almost impossible to live there. Folks pestering them for a tour, etc. The Korell's efforts must be memorialized, what a legacy!

It could become one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state. I think, outside of Nebraska, there probably less than 10,000 folks who know who Sen. Norris was. There are millions who know who Frank Lloyd Wright was.

'nuff said.

Bill Frasier,

McCook, Nebraska

Comments
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  • The city has not raised the city taxes!

    -- Posted by dennis on Sun, Oct 30, 2011, at 4:19 PM

  • Regardless of what the city did/din't do, they did not design the new building without holding cells for the purpose of taxpayers having to pay for a new jail. They should NOT have had holding cells in their building plan. It is not a city's responsibility to house county prisoners.

    I agree that a new jail is a good thing and also feel that a combined city county building would have been the way to go. But that didn't happen and now we will heopfully have two new facilities.

    For securtiy reasons, having the jail as close as possible to the courthouse, without being attached, is the only way to go. I don't see why some are so concerned about its impact on the FLWH.

    -- Posted by bntheredunthat on Sun, Oct 30, 2011, at 11:02 PM

  • They city hasn't but will the county have to on city people in order to pay for the jail that is needed more now since the holding is probably going away with the new municipal building.

    Playing the game of 5 whys,

    Why are the county taxes going up? to pay for a new jail.

    Why are we paying for a new jail? because the holding cells going away.

    Why are the holding cells going away? new municipal building is being built.

    Why is the municipal building being built? FD/PD building and city offices are outdated

    alright so I only got to four whys, But it shows how the municipal building was the catalyst for taxes going up on citizens that the city said it wouldn't taxes on.

    -- Posted by npwinder on Sun, Oct 30, 2011, at 11:04 PM

  • The county needs a way to house prisoners. The city needed a new facility for a safety center and offices. The county is not responsible for the city problems and the city is not responsible for the county problems. They tried to work together on a joint facility but the voters clearly said no. The city offered the current facility to the county and offered to have them build a jail on a second floor of the new safety center. Regardless of what happened costs would increase.

    -- Posted by dennis on Mon, Oct 31, 2011, at 9:01 AM

  • Dennis is now telling us that "Regardless of what happened costs would increase", That statement pretty much validates Mr. Fraiser's letter to the editor, which points out that "In their half-truths, the city told us "taxes will not be raised and there would be no new taxes" if we approved their facility." The city knew all along that their new building would force the county to raise property taxes. It's not all that different than the finger-pointing that goes on in Washington D.C., but it's really discouraging to the average tax-payer when even their own small-town politicians do the same thing.

    -- Posted by Linda1547 on Mon, Oct 31, 2011, at 3:26 PM

  • Linda, the city can not nor should not say what taxes will be requested for other tax supported groups. The word left out of the quote is "city". The city said it would not raise taxes for their project and they haven't. Plenty of meetings were held and media coverage given stating the county would need to do something should the safety center pass---which it did. It seems that those who did not want the city project to go forth still have bitter feelings. Half truths may exist but in my view they do not come from the city but rather the nay-sayers group that rarely support much of anything. I, for one, will continue to focus on hopes rather than fears. McCook is a great place to live, work and play and multiple sources indicate it is also a lower tax city---and the county likewise. Counting my blessing....

    -- Posted by dennis on Mon, Oct 31, 2011, at 5:32 PM

  • Does anyone out there have a free mansion to give away? Also I'm in the market for cost free dinners. AND while I'm asking..... Anyone want to give me a vehicle free gratis? WHAT?! No-one wants to "give" me things for free? What's the deal anyway? OH right, things aren't free, that's how it works.

    We need a new Municipal Facility, then we need it. We need a new County Jail, we need it. I'm not saying that we need a $200.00 toilet seat, but from what I can see, it doesn't appear that the costs of either the City Municipal Facility, nor the County Jail are chalk full of copper trim metal and marble fountains so basically if it needs to be built vs letting things go well into disrepair then we need to get it done.

    So far as the city's covert master plan of throwing the county under the bus leaving them to have to build a jail for themselves...... Well who does the City think they are? The nerve of the City to ask the county to flip its own bill for jailing it's prisoners. Why, for no cost to the county, the City should have updated the existing jail to accommodate the regulations required to house the county's incarcerated individuals and continue to operate in their dilapidated accommodations, and without increasing taxes in the process.

    I believe that Dennis is saying, costs would increase on behalf of the county jail. If it took over the existing jail, if the jail was combined with the new Municipal Facility, or if the jail was built on its own. WHETHER OR NOT the Municipal Facility was built, the jail had to be brought to code. What is the common denominator here? Answer: the jail, which is a county obligation, so it appears that the finger pointing that Linda is referring to, has in fact been mimicked by Linda herself.

    Those on a "fixed" retirement monthly income, once had their predecessors foot the bill for the infrastructure that they enjoyed during their not fixed income days. In short, nothing has changed but the perspective with which one sees the current issues. It's all happened before, it will happen again. Its no-ones fault, its just the way it goes.

    -- Posted by Nick Mercy on Tue, Nov 1, 2011, at 12:03 AM

  • Well said, Nick. I always enjoy your posts.

    -- Posted by bntheredunthat on Tue, Nov 1, 2011, at 8:13 AM

  • I just want to be clear, I was showing the circular logic on how the city can get the blame on the tax increases. I did not mean to imply that the city deserved the blame. I'm sorry if there was confusion.

    Nick, I always appreciate your posts also.

    -- Posted by npwinder on Tue, Nov 1, 2011, at 9:58 AM

  • Logic is a tough pill to swallow.

    -- Posted by speak-e-z on Tue, Nov 1, 2011, at 4:21 PM

  • Dennis said the old PD facility was offered to the county for a Jail, now, if my mind serves me right, one of the first big reasons we needed a new PD/Fire facility dealt with a safety factor. Something dealing with being to close to the railroad tracks. I was just wondering why Dennis,if it wasn't safe for city employees, what makes anyone think it would be safe for our county law enforcement? Just curious...

    -- Posted by Ladyg on Fri, Nov 4, 2011, at 1:15 PM

  • Ladyg, it was offered to give the county another option.

    -- Posted by dennis on Fri, Nov 4, 2011, at 1:43 PM

  • Ladyg, do you still drive the first vehicle you ever bought? Have you ever had a garage sale? Have you ever been tempted to throw out an old coat but stopped short of the dumpster and thought..... "Maybe someone could use this coat. I wouldn't wear it myself but there might be someone out there that will be cold this winter and no coat to wear. I better take it in to the thrift shop."

    I think you get my point..... or perhaps you're the type that just throws the coat out without regard to anyone else's possible needs. Either way, I'm guessing you can figure out why the existing jail was offered to the county. Blah blah blah, something about a gift horse.

    -- Posted by Nick Mercy on Fri, Nov 4, 2011, at 7:21 PM

  • must not have understood my question so I'll shorten it, if it wasn't safe for the city to stay in why in the world would the county risk their employees and use it? Nice offer, but hopefully, no takers.

    -- Posted by Ladyg on Mon, Nov 7, 2011, at 5:03 PM

  • Must not have understood my explanation, let me shorten it. We don't feel as if we can use it, If you feel that you might utilize it, we would be happy to give it to you.

    I didn't say, and neither did the City, We don't want it but here you take over now it's your problem.

    -- Posted by Nick Mercy on Mon, Nov 7, 2011, at 9:24 PM

  • what ladyg is saying is that if the jail right now was dangerous then why was it offered up insted of distroyed? its more like saying i'm not going to use this milk anymore because its out dated but here you can use it if you want. who would nick? got milk?

    -- Posted by BTWinecleff on Mon, Nov 14, 2011, at 6:32 PM

  • BTW, a good analogy in response to my own.... BUT, how many things can be done with sour milk? Sour cream, cottage cheese... just because you wouldn't pour it over cereal doesn't make it obsolete......... if it's between starving and not starving, surviving or not surviving, holding prisoners or not holding prisoners.... options are always good, unless of course it's given to the indecisive, then it's detrimental to progress, but not necessarily bad.

    -- Posted by Nick Mercy on Mon, Nov 14, 2011, at 8:01 PM
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