Monday, February 19

Jail Project 2007 Update

When the Mayor and County Commissioners start patting themselves on the back for their dedication to resolving a critical problem and for their outstanding work on the "Jail Project", don’t you think it’s time to take a serious look at the results of this "outstanding work," by looking at the results?

The results can be determined by the collective answers to the following questions:

How much of the County’s treasury has been spent or committed, to date, on the "Jail Project?" (Land costs; development cost - studies, analysis reports, architects, engineers, etc.; site prep.)

What other costs are there going to be, in addition to the "Jail Project’s" $10,500,000.00 Bond debt.

How much of the $36.00 Wheel Tax is required for Debt Service on the $10,500,000.00 Bonds?

Are the Mayor and/or the County Commission sure that Hardin County’s new "facility" will work well in every way?

Can they assure the taxpayers of Hardin County that this new "Facility" meets the basic requirements of A Correction & Detention Facility as defined by the National Institution of Corrections? If not, why not?

Does the new Hardin County’s Correction & Detention Facility:

a.) Meet Hardin County’s Current and Future Needs - Well, no. Still not enough capacity. At least 100 beds short for current needs and nowhere close for future needs, with the County’s current attitude about correction and detention.

b.) Support Hardin County’s Philosophies and Objectives Regarding Detention and Corrections. - Well, no. Philosophies do not include ending up in the same place we are today, with an overcrowded correction and detention facility, with its related problems even if it is brand new. The only beneficiary of that outcome is the Sheriff, because the Sheriff ends up with a new office facility for his department and a huge increase in the department’s budget, even if the jail is overcrowded, again.

c.) Help Hardin County’s Employees and Staff Do Their Best at Their Jobs. - Well, no. They are going to still have to deal with overcrowding, and its related problems, while they become amiliar with the new facility, themselves.

d.) Work Well for Our Current and Future Staff and Inmates. -Well, no. Overcrowding is overcrowding.

e.) Fit Within Hardin County’s Budget for Construction and Annual Operational Cost? Well, Yes, more than enough. The $36.00 wheel tax should have generated about a Million Dollars in 2006. That Million Dollars would finance a lot more than $10,500,000.00 at 4 ½ % fixed rate over a Thirty Years period with tax-exempt bonds.

Did we do it right, the first time? Well, no. That’s not the way we seem to do it here in Hardin County.

Some will say, Shut Up, Ted, it’s going to be a lot better than it is now!! Point taken. But at what costs?

My problem is that they will wake up in two to three years, at the grand opening, and say, we still have the same basic problems. We could have done a lot better by just looking past today. How soon will they have to make that 100 bed addition?

Next Issue - Can’t you just wait to see how these folk will propose to deal with the other critical public safety and welfare issue. The hazardous rabies/stray animal control problem, due to the lack of any programs, in Hardin County and the Region.

I just can’t wait, that’s a fact. They need to keep their campaign promises and resolve the stray animal problem in Hardin County or at least tell us when they plan on doing something to resolve the problem.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,


Ted

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