Public discusses lesser of two evils
Staff reporter
Of the people who spoke Jan. 16 at a public hearing to discuss a county justice center, all could agree there are concerns with the current jail.
But the group of 35-40 people could not agree on how large to build a new facility and how to pay for it.
Marion County Commission held the meeting, the second one of its kind, to receive public input about the project that has been in the works for more than a year.
At the meeting, the commission promoted a $15 million project that would have a 72-bed retention center, sheriff's department, emergency dispatch, attorney's office, court services, and courtrooms.
The method of payment the commission promoted was a combination of a one-half to one percent sales tax increase and a mill levy increase.
Harry Bennett of rural Marion said he would like to see the scenario of using just ad valorem property taxes which would require a mill levy increase.
"At least that way, as the bond is paid, the mill levy would go down," Bennett said.
If voters were to approve a sales tax increase in the April 3 election, the sales tax would stay in effect until the entire bond issue was paid.
Randy Hagen, an owner of Hillsboro Ford-Mercury, said a major contributor to the county's sales tax revenue recently closed, McDonald's, which will impact the county sales tax revenue.
"You're going to feel the effects of a higher sales tax," Hagen said. "You're going to collect less money and have to increase the mill levy anyway."
About the facility
The 63,000-square-foot facility would be on two levels with public access on the main level. The plan that was presented would have 72 beds which would allow the county to house out-of-county prisoners.
Jail census indicates the county has an average of eight to 10 inmates per day. During the next 20 to 30 years, that number could increase significantly but probably county inmates would never consistently fill a 72-bed facility.
The remaining 60+ beds could bring $30-$40 per day as a revenue stream to help pay the bonds and eventually be a source of revenue to the county.
The price tag for 72 beds, court services, and other office space is $14.78 million.
If a 48-bed facility was built instead, the cost would decrease by $1.6 million.
The initial estimate included preparation of the lot and construction but did not include furnishings and operations.
The building would be constructed of masonry and concrete and would look more like an office complex than a detention center, said architect Dan Hall of BG Consultants of Manhattan.
Marion City Council recently earmarked five acres in the southeast portion of Marion Industrial Park for the complex.
Will it 'fit' in a residential area?
Marion Economic Development Director Jami Williams asked about the aesthetics of the facility.
"This is going to be located near a residential area," she said. "Will inmates be outside?"
Hall explained that an exercise area would have a sliding roof to allow sunshine into the area but the inmates would not actually be outdoors.
A fence will be erected on the detention end of the complex to detain inmates in case of fire. A sally port in the lower level will allow law enforcement officers to transport inmates without using public access doors.
These provisions will limit or eliminate residents and others from seeing inmates outside of the building.
Comments were made that Harvey County's jail is located with the courthouse in downtown Newton and across from a school.
"The windows are such that inmates cannot see outside activity," Hall said, except above the building.
"They can see if it's night and day but that's about it," he said.
Could it provide a revenue stream?
Bond counselor David Artebury of George K. Baum Company of Kansas City said typically sales tax or property tax or a combination of the two are ways other counties have paid for similar projects.
"It's very possible revenue from out-of-county inmates could off-set the debt," he said.
What would happen if the county's assessed property values should go down?
"If the assessed value goes down one percent, the mill levy needs to go up one percent," Artebury said.
Marion County Clerk Carol Maggard said since she has worked in the clerk's office, the assessed value has never decreased.
Artebury explained that the mill levy would be adjusted as the debt is paid.
"You can't lower the sales tax percentage but can use surplus sales tax revenue to pay the debt," he explained. "When the debt is paid, the sales tax would end."
It was not disclosed what the operating expenses would be for the facility other than a calculation of $2-3 per square foot for utilities.
Roger Hofer of Hillsboro asked if the county had considered a different plan other than this grandiose one.
"Will there be any money left over after paying the expenses? If not, we're paying for other counties' prisoners," he said.
Commissioner Dan Holub said the commission had considered a 20-bed jail but it would be a larger expense to the county.
"A larger facility would provide a revenue stream," he said. "This would be a way to import money into Marion County."
Holub continued that the dispatch office was in an unsafe building during storms and there were significant problems with the aged building.
County concerns
Eighth Judicial Chief Judge Michael Powers said the plans included some items that aren't needed today but could be necessary in the future.
Currently, visiting judges preside five times a month, Powers said, which requires two courtrooms.
"It's a mad house on court days," he said. "We're not equipped to handle the volume of people."
Powers added that the current setup of offices for probation personnel has to change for the safety of the workers.
If more retention space was available and a work release program in place, Powers said he could increase the jail population by 50 percent.
He explained that some offenders need to continue to work at a job to support a family and personal debt. If the offenders are required to be incarcerated continuously for 30 days or more, they would lose their jobs which would present another set of problems.
Instead, Powers is forced to allow them to work and live in their communities during the week and serve jail time on the weekends.
In the end
One of the final comments was made by Bennett and addressed to the commission.
"Ramp out the increase to the mill levy only (to pay for the facility)," he said. Maybe taxpayers will feel better about it."
Dallke concluded the meeting by saying the commission will be making a decision within the next two weeks.
