As Carroll County residents came together to learn more about the plans and estimate of costs for a new jail, things became a little contentious. Adam Schweers, who was at the 8 a.m. town hall meeting in the auditorium at the Carroll Rec Center, representing the Committee for a Responsible Jail Location, was confronted by resident Ronnie Schagt. Schagt held up an ad from one of the local publications that read “Save Our New Library.” What he wanted to know of Schweers is how he considers the renovation project a new library.
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Schweers said not all of the members of the jail committee agree the downtown location is the best spot. He asserted there is still time to “flesh this out,” and is a proponent of putting it outside of the city limits. Supervisor, Rich Ruggles, said they had worked diligently to put people from throughout the county onto this committee, not just residents from within the city limits. Schweers wanted to know why they did not request input from city organizations. Supervisor Ruggles responded that they did.
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An unidentified attendee turned to Schweers, telling him his committee does not represent the whole city or the whole county. Another said the jail has been in the same place for 53 years and relocating near an Alzheimer’s care center and the middle and high school would gain no one anything. Supervisor Neil Bock also responded to Schweers comments.
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Ruggles pointed out they have tried to address the major concerns at the forefront of this project as they were brought before the committee. They were asked about regionalization, so they created a space that is expandable from 32 to 52 units. Then, they came to them about parking.
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In fact, the addition of that secure parking opens the east lot for library uses and only takes away two parking spots. And when it came to questions about the escapes from the jail and the safety factors of having it in the downtown area, Sheriff, Ken Pingrey, responded.
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County residents will be going to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 6 to vote for or against a referendum, allowing the county to bond up to $8.95 million for a 16,800 square-foot, three-story structure attached by only an elevator shaft and a stairway to the west side of the courthouse. Audio of a portion of that town hall meeting and talking points are included below.
Audio of a portion of Jail Town Hall Meeting 10-05-18
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Points made on the Facebook page of the Committee for a Responsible Jail Location:
- Blocks new library view
- Takes away parking
- Costs more
- Threatens public safety
Responses presented by the Yes Committee to Improve Public Safety:
FACTS ABOUT THE PROPOSED CARROLL COUNTY JAIL
- THE PROPOSED LOCATION ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COURTHOUSE WILL BE THE SAFEST AND MOST COST EFFICIENT TO OPERATE. PRISONER TRANSPORTS TO COURT WILL BE A NON-ISSUE AND THE OVERALL COST SAVINGS TO THE TAXPAYER WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $316,000 PER YEAR WHICH EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY $16,000,000 OVER A 50 YEAR SPAN! IT WILL ALSO KEEP THE CARROLL POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TOWN SO CALLS CAN BE HANDLED MORE EFFICIENTLY THUS KEEPING CITIZENS SAFER. THE COUNTY JAIL HAS BEEN LOCATED DOWNTOWN SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME.
- IT IS IMPORTANT FOR VOTERS TO KNOW THAT IOWA HAS STATE JAIL STANDARDS AS MANDATED BY CHAPTER 50 AND A STATE JAIL INSPECTOR. RIGHT NOW OUR JAIL IS OPERATING SOLELY AT HIS DISCRETION SINCE OUR JAIL MEETS ZERO OF THE STATE STANDARDS; IN SHORT THIS IS A HUGE LIABILITY. THE STATE INSPECTOR HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CRITICAL OF OUR JAIL OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS AND HE DOES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CLOSE OUR JAIL.
- THIS IS NOT A PRISON, IT’S A COUNTY JAIL. PRISON IS A TERM USED BY SOME TO INVOKE FEAR AMONG THE CITIZENS OF CARROLL. THERE WILL BE NO BARS ON THE WINDOWS, NO GUARDS PATROLLING THE GROUNDS WITH DOGS, NO CONCERTINA WIRE, NO SNIPERS IN TURRETS, AND NO OUTSIDE EXERCISE AREA. THE PUBLIC WILL NEVER KNOW IT’S A JAIL.
- WITH THE CARROLL COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AGREEING TO INCLUDE ENCLOSED, SECURE PARKING IN THE DESIGN ONLY 2 PARKING SPACES WILL BE LOST DUE TO THIS CONSTRUCTION. THE ENTIRE EAST SIDE WILL BE FREE FOR LIBRARY PARKING AND ALL VEHICLES OWNED BY THE COUNTY WILL BE IN THE GARAGE AND NOT CLOGGING THE NORTH LOT.
- REGIONALIZATION IS A WORD THAT KEEPS COMING UP. TALK OF REGIONALIZATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS. WILL IT EVER HAPPEN, NO ONE KNOWS, AT THIS POINT IT’S ONLY A HYPOTHETICAL TERM. WHILE REGIONALIZATION HAS BEEN ATTACHED TO AREA HOSPITALS AND AIRPORTS IT’S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT EACH COUNTY STILL HAS THEIR OWN HOSPITAL AND AIRPORT, THERE JUST NOT CALLED “REGIONAL.”
- WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE PAST 2 ½ YEARS AND OUR PROPOSED 32 BED FACILITY, EXPANDABLE TO 52 BEDS WITHIN THE SAME FRAMEWORK OF THE BUILDING SHOULD SUIT CARROLL COUNTIES NEEDS FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS. THIS ENTIRE PROJECT WILL CONFORM TO STATE STANDARDS.
- THE CITY OF CARROLL IS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE HUB OF THE COUNTY. WITH A PROJECT LIKE THIS IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS AND TAX IMPACT OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY, NOT JUST THE CITY OF CARROLL. THE CITY OF CARROLL BENEFITS GREATLY FROM THEIR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND FARMERS.