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The task force considering potential solutions to Houghton County’s jail overcrowding problem will recommend that the county pursue construction of a new jail, which would also house the sheriff’s department and the District Court.
The consensus emerged from the group’s meeting last night.
Yet to be determined is where that facility would be built. Locating it on Dodge Street, across from the existing courthouse, would provide the advantage of proximity, but some members felt the land-locked site would be too small to allow for future growth. Locating it on a larger, separate parcel somewhere within the Houghton city limits – or on land that could be annexed to the city – would move the sheriff’s department some distance from the rest of county government and the Circuit Court, but would allow room for expansion.
The task force did not support a more comprehensive proposal to build a larger facility that would house all county government functions, partly because of cost, and partly because it would leave the current court house empty, with no viable prospect for redevelopment. Evan McDonald, who led the sub-group of the task force that investigated the full replacement option, cautioned that the clock is ticking on use of the historic building, which suffers from building code and safety violations, and was not designed to accommodate contemporary uses.
Two other concepts were set aside earlier in the process.
One would have added jail space to the existing building. A proposal to that effect was rejected recently by voters, and is viewed as a “band aid” solution, with little long-term benefit.
The other would have moved the jail and the sheriff’s department to the former Kitwen Correctional Camp at Painesdale. That proposal was rejected because the state requires that the sheriff’s department and some court facilities be located within the city limits of the county seat, and because of logistical problems and renovation costs.
The jail has suffered from overcrowding for more than a decade. Defendants in criminal cases who would normally be kept in custody while awaiting trial are routinely released back into the community because there is no room to house them.
The jail suffers from numerous health and safety issues that affect both staff and prisoners. Officials are concerned that legal action could be brought against the county to force a facilities upgrade, or further limit the number of prisoners that can be kept at the jail.
The recommendation will be taken to the full Board of Commissioners.
A very rough estimate of $21-million has been placed on the project, although that could change as additional planning is done.
Many members of the task force encouraged the Board to pursue an open, public process for design of the new facility, with an emphasis on making sure voters know what’s being planned, and why it’s needed.
