Still unsure on what to do about a jail

by Darryl Wilkinson

It is disappointing that so few attended the candidates’ forum last Thursday in Gallatin. Take away the candidates and their families from the 60 or so attending and those left could have eaten two or three doughnuts apiece from the box on the table — and had enough left for breakfast the next morning.

This certainly doesn’t reflect on those organizing the forum. Brent Elliott, who circulates in several counties on his campaign for judge, says the meeting here was typical in size and better than most on content. I know several points presented during the discussion interested me.

To be honest, I’m not sure what to make of the regional jail proposal. For three years or longer, officials from Daviess, DeKalb and Caldwell counties have visited about the idea. Initial feasibility studies prompted interest that continues. All three counties have the same problem in spending too many tax dollars on prisoner board and travel. The real cost is taking law officers away from patrol and other duties, especially as it becomes harder and harder to locate available cell space when it’s needed.

As I understand it, a regional jail would be administered by a board and operate similar to a township board. The jail board would involve the sheriffs and the presiding commissioners from all three counties. An administrator would be hired to operate the facility and answer to this board.

The price tag for construction will get most of the attention. A “Cadillac” 90-bed facility could cost as much as $5 million; whatever is proposed will probably be less. It’s important to remember, however, that the operational costs for a 90-bed facility isn’t much different than for a 20-bed facility.

Running a jail is expensive, even if the expense is divided three ways. In fact, the only way this idea will work is if the expense is shared between neighboring counties. To be more specific, the only way it will ever work here is with DeKalb County if financing is shouldered by sales tax as proposed.

DeKalb County sales tax receipts are boosted by Wal-Mart and the sliver of other Cameron businesses located on the DeKalb side of the county line. Thus, DeKalb’s half-cent sales tax could bring as much as $400,000 annually for a regional jail compared to the $170,000 to $180,000 generated by business in Daviess and Caldwell counties.

As long as DeKalb County expresses interest in a regional jail, Daviess and Caldwell counties would be wise to listen. The hearing problem, though, appears to be in Jefferson City.

To make a regional jail here reality, legislation must be passed to define the law enforcement district and to expand the sales tax limit so that an additional half-cent tax can even be proposed. Those working on the idea also want legislation so that the regional jail can pass by majority vote of the entire district rather than requiring approval by a majority in each separate county (otherwise, what if proposals are approved in two counties but fail in the other?).

And this is the rub. Is a proposed regional jail a defining issue in this general election campaign between candidates for sheriff and county commission when the odds for such legislation appear iffy? I dunno. But it is interesting.

It’s come close. At one time the legislation passed through the House and Senate only to be attached to something else that got vetoed by the governor. At other times, the legislators entrusted with matters simply dropped the ball.

I’m sure there are many more details on this matter. Jails aren’t exactly anyone’s favorite conversation topics, but consider how much money is spent on prisoners. Then ask yourself how a deputy can patrol past your place when he’s spending up to two hours or more chauffeuring a suspect from some place to the courthouse here, sometimes for a 5-minute legal procedure.

Some say what Daviess County really needs is its own jail. County commissioners are saying the county’s budget won’t allow for adding more deputies. So, how will the county afford to build its own jail? I dunno. But it is interesting.

This might be a topic to discuss with the candidates between now and Nov. 7. Too bad you weren’t at the forum last Thursday.