Caledonia Argus

Time to move on jail issues, options

Posted: 2/24/04

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

Itís time to meet with the sheriff to talk about overcrowding in the jail, Houston County commissioners said at their Tuesday, February 17, meeting.

ìIím ready to say, letís do something, like see what the sheriff is thinking,î said Commissioner Kevin Kelleher.

The discussion was sparked when Commissioner Ann Thompson mentioned a meeting she had with representative Greg Davids concerning legislation that may be passed regarding grant money being available for a regional jail.

The county has been studying its jail options for the past several years.

Kelleher said, ìAt what point do we say we really need to do something. Weíre between a rock and a hard place. Weíve squeezed and stretched that thing [jail].î

Commissioner Dave Corcoran brought up the safety issue of the current facility. When prisoners are transported to the courthouse, they are led through about a block of public domain before entering the courthouse and up the stairs into the court. This represents a risk to public safety. Corcoran said he recently observed a prisoner being led in chains past a four or five year old child, who watched in awe. ìIt would have taken a few seconds to wrap that chain around the kidís neck and you have an issue. Itís not safe,î said Corcoran.

Kelleher commented, ìItís the cheapest time to build a jail.î

Commissioner Nels Gulbranson noted that it costs a lot more money than you would think to run a new jail. ìMore people are needed to run the jail,î he explained.

Kelleher added, ìHow long can we go sending out one hundred grand to other places?î

Last year the county spent over $100,000 to have prisoners boarded out in other counties because there was not enough room in the jail. Not included in those costs is mileage and what drivers are paid to transport the prisoners.

Several reasons are cited for the overcrowding issue in the jail. One is the increase of the female prisoner population. Corcoran noted, ìLetís face it, when we first got on the board, we had only two females in jail.î

County oks draft to La Crosse

Environmental Services Coordinator Rick Frank told commissioners that attorney Dick Nowlin has looked over the draft extension agreement between the county and La Crosse Waste Management.

ìI think the draft is ready to send back to La Crosse,î said Frank.

Kelleher said he approved of the new relationship, ìI think this is the best we can do. I think heís done a good job on it. We are treated as a customer, since we donít make the decisions.î

The county has spent the past few years working out a contract with La Crosse Waste Management that will reduce the countyís liability. The contract extends the current contract from 2008 until 2023. In it is is a provision that charges the county for the upgrade of the incinerator on French Island according to the amount of trash that is incinerated.

Gulbranson commended Kelleher for initially requesting that the county create its own contract with La Crosse, instead of signing the one contract they originally offered.

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