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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-08-23 Work Session NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 27 MINUTES OF WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS JAIL EXPANSIONPAGE 441 AUGUST 23, 1999 ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners held a Special Meeting on Monday, August 23, 1999, at 12:30 p.m. in Room 501 of the County Administration Building, 320 Chestnut Street, Wilmington, North Carolina. Members present were: Commissioner Ted Davis, Jr.; Commissioner Charles R. Howell; Vice-Chairman Robert G. Greer; Chairman William A. Caster; County Manager, Allen O’Neal; County Attorney, Wanda M. Copley; and Clerk to the Board, Lucie F. Harrell. Commissioner Buzz Birzenieks was out-of-town and could not attend the meeting. Chairman Caster called the Special Meeting to order and he advised that the meeting had been called to hear a report from Carter Goble Associates, Inc., the consultants hired to present a recommendation on expanding the New Hanover County Jail. Sheriff Joe McQueen introduced Mr. Stephen A. Carter, AICP Principal, and Mr. Robert Green, Senior Associate of Carter Goble Associates, Inc., to present the planning concepts for the jail expansion. PRESENTATION OF PLANNING CONCEPTS FOR NEW HANOVER COUNTY JAIL Mr. Carter reported that on October 15, 1999, Carter Goble Associates, Inc. was contracted to prepare a proposal on expanding the New Hanover County Jail. After a complete review of the existing jail, Options A, B, and C have been developed. Options A and B propose that New Hanover County develop a new primary jail with the current jail operating as a secondary facility at a proper capacity. Option C recommends that the current jail would not be used to house inmates; however, this option will require the development of a secure court holding area and a secure vehicle sallyport for loading and unloading of inmates moving to and from the courts. It is recommended that the Annex Jail be closed and the Main Jail remain in operation for highly specialized inmates. The following options were discussed: ? Option A: The Main Jail would continue to house prisoners on the second, fourth, and fifth floors. The second floor housing areas would have to undergo renovation. The operational capacity of the Main Jail would be set at 190. The lower level of the facility would serve as a secure holding and transit point for inmates moving between the new facility and the courthouse. The new facility would be programmed at 320 beds, all of which would be secure. The initial system-wide capacity would be 510. No community custody beds would be programmed at the new jail site. ? Option B: The Main Jail would no longer house inmates on the second floor because of the difficulty in observing the inmates. The second floor could be used for other jail support services or for other county functions. This action would result in an operational capacity of 106 beds. The lower level of the facility would serve as a secure holding and transit point for inmates moving between the new facility and the courthouse. The new facility would be programmed at 384, consisting of 320 secure beds and 64 community custody beds. The initial system-wide capacity under Option B would be 490. ? Option C: The Main Jail would no longer house inmates. The lower level of the facility would serve as a secure holding and transit point for inmates moving between the new facility and the courthouse. The new facility would be programmed at 552 beds, consisting of 464 secure beds and 88 community custody beds. This is a long-term option that will allow the County to provide for future jail expansions at a reasonable cost. This option was not recommended because the firm did not feel the County was ready to make an investment of this size. Discussion followed on moving the entire jail to a location outside the downtown area. Mr. Carter advised that approximately 50% of new jails constructed across the country are built away from downtown areas and the courts. North Carolina General Statutes allow the use of video NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 27 MINUTES OF WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS JAIL EXPANSIONPAGE 442 AUGUST 23, 1999 conferencing for first appearance and arraignment. Under Option A or B, inmates would be moved to court on a daily basis. The major objective is to be sure that inmates make a timely court appearance. Discussion followed on the use of the second floor in the Main Jail Mr. Carter commented on the second floor being originally designed for the 911 Center and he stated that renovation of the second floor would not provide a good area for deputies to properly monitor the inmates. He noted that once an option has been selected, more discussion will be held on use of the second floor in the Main Jail. He advised that one factor controlling the decision was the Jacob’s Run tunnel connecting to the Courthouse. He said the sallyport at the lower level is not adequately designed to handle the size of vehicles needed to transport inmates; therefore, this level will have to be renovated to accommodate the delivery of inmates. Sheriff McQueen emphasized the importance of continuing to use the tunnel because of the security provided when carrying inmates to court hearings. Vice-Chairman Greer commented on the current renovation to the Judicial Building and he asked if the lower floor renovation could be incorporated into that plan. Mr. Carter said after review of the renovation plan for the Judicial Building, it was his understanding that the project was too far along to make significant changes. Project Engineer, Greg Thompson, advised that the final schematic design was completed with a significant amount of money spent in developing the design. Vice-Chairman Greer said, in his opinion, the concept of constructing a new jail that could be expanded on a new site to meet current and future needs would be the right approach to alleviate overcrowding in the jail. He expressed concern for having to renovate the Main Jail every five or six years and stated it now appears that if a new building is constructed, renovations will still have to be done on the lower level of the Main Jail. He stressed the importance of selecting an option that will not require extensive renovations of the existing jail. Mr. Carter noted that part of the planning was to open up the lower level to become a staging area where inmates can wait for court hearings in a secure place with the provision of toilets and other needed facilities. This would alleviate having to carry inmates back and forth up steps into jail cells to wait for court appearances. The proposed option will require construction of a holding area for inmates with 40 to 60 spaces. The current schematics would have to be modified to provide the vehicle sallyport and the holding area. If there is a possibility of including this work in the existing renovation plan for the Judicial Building, this should be considered. Vice-Chairman Greer asked Sheriff McQueen if creating another holding area would be a problem for the Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff McQueen responded that one holding area would not be a problem if it is constructed to house 40 to 60 inmates with a secure parking facility. This will avoid the possibility of any inmates escaping and reduce the number of personnel needed to operate two jails. Vice-Chairman Greer asked if the 5th floor of the Main Jail could be used to meet any other space needs. Project Engineer Thompson advised the 5th floor could be used for other county activities; however, the renovations would be costly. Vice-Chairman Greer asked if the sallyport on the lower level of the Main Jail could be used to bring and carry inmates to court with renovation of the first to fifth floors as space to house the Emergency Operations Center, 911 Center and other county activities. He said this concept would allow the Jail and Sheriff Administration to be located in one place and avoid the cost of operating two kitchens. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 27 MINUTES OF WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS JAIL EXPANSIONPAGE 443 AUGUST 23, 1999 Mr. Green advised that Option C will eliminate the operation of two jails. Under this concept, the Sheriff will be operating one jail with use of the holding facility during daylight hours. The cost of staffing two jails will be far more costly over a period of time than constructing a new facility. Mr. Green said that Option C was not recommended as the first choice because it was felt the up-front construction costs and the difficulty of reprogramming the existing Main Jail would be too expensive for the Board to consider. Chairman Caster said he felt the downtown Jail would always be needed because of the courts. Further discussion was held on the number of inmates that could be handled in the holding area at one time during the day. Judge John Smith advised that today 36 felony first appearances were scheduled to be heard this morning for one District Courtroom. Out of this number, 10 inmates have been already been fined and the remaining cases will heard. This represents about 25 inmates for one courtroom at the District Court level. This figure does not include Superior Court or other District Courtrooms that handle domestic violence hearings. Mr. Green said whether the Board selects Option A, B, or C, that 75% of the work has been performed on the planning for each option. If a new jail is constructed, there will be a judicial setup where a Judge can hold court in the new facility. Mr. Carter informed the Board that expanding the Main Jail to meet new North Carolina Standards will be a major challenge. It will require rearranging the interior of the building. Space could be created in the open courtyard; however, additional space is needed for more single cells. Under North Carolina Standards, exterior lighting must be provided to all jail cells. This lighting will reduce a large amount of space that can be used for the expansion. If you decide to construct the expansion on the mechanical side of the building, this option will require re-working the energy plant, which includes the cooling tower, and demolishing space in the Main Jail. Selection of this option would be the least cost-effective. Mr. Green informed the Board that a Main Jail expansion would be a costly process. The County would pay a high premium for a few additional cell beds, which will require another expansion of the facility in two or three years. Sheriff McQueen reported that a study was performed a number of years ago about expanding the Main Jail. At that time, the architect felt the foundation would not be capable of supporting another floor. Also, there was a great deal of concern about moving the cooling tower. Discussion was held on the need to move as quickly as possible to decide on an option and select a suitable building site. Chairman Caster requested Mr. Carter to comment on sites that were recommended in the study. Mr. Carter advised that a site scoring matrix was used to award points from one to ten on each proposed site. He said the following items should be considered when selecting a site: Site Size: The size of the site will greatly influence the design. Size needs are a function of the ground level area of the building and future expansion, parking, building access, outdoor activities, landscaping buffers, and support elements such as outdoor equipment. Site Location: In locating the jail, operational linkages with the courts, law enforcement, and service providers must be considered. The facility must be easily accessible to all staff working in the facility as well as to visitors and others. The following items should be considered: ? Inmates must be transported between the jail and courts, a few blocks or a few miles since most of the transfer time is taken up with readying the inmate, loading, unloading, and readmitting the inmate. Since North Carolina State Law is considering video first appearance or a first appearance court at the jail, a significant amount of inmate/court interaction can be reduced. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 27 MINUTES OF WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS JAIL EXPANSIONPAGE 444 AUGUST 23, 1999 ? A direct physical connection or immediate adjacency between the jail and other Sheriff Department offices will improve communications and permit the sharing of resources. ? It is desirable for the jail to be convenient to lawyers, community service groups, and emergency resources, such as the fire department and medical emergency facilities. Remote video visiting could expedite attorney and client interaction. ? Difficulty in staging construction due to limited land on which to store building supplies will impact construction costs. Proposed Sites: ? Blue Clay Site: This site is a 50-acre tract located in the undeveloped area of the county. The property would be accessed from Blue Clay Road; however, 1,000 feet of road improvements will be needed and 2,000 feet of new road construction. The old County landfill will have to be removed from the tract, and the soil bearing capacity is poor. The site is large enough to permit a single-level jail design with adequate parking. It is also large enough to accommodate other Sheriff Department facilities, although it may not be a suitable location for a headquarters building. ? Airport Site: This site is located on undeveloped land in the immediate vicinity of the Wilmington International Airport. Hall Drive and Gardner Road border the 21-acre tract, and the water and sewer lines are installed. The soil bearing capacity is not known, although other development in the area suggests there is no problem. The site is large enough to accommodate a single-level jail design and adequate parking. It is also large enough to accommodate the development of a headquarters building. ? Fifth Street Site: This is the downtown site located between Princess and Chestnut Streets one block from the Main Jail. The potential tract is approximately one acre in size; however, this includes the Juvenile Court Building, and two privately owned lots as well as an existing County building and parking area. Exclusive of the Juvenile Court Building, this tract is approximately one-half to an acre in size. A solid BellSouth Building, containing a switching station, separates this tract from the Main Jail. A portion of this building is rented to the Sheriff’s Department. Use of this site will require a multi-level solution with no more than 2-full size housing units per floor. This option offers no expansion capacity. Access to the Courthouse and Main Jail would require a tunnel or bridge walkway solution, which will require movement through the BellSouth property. The following site scores were received based upon the evaluation scoring matrix: Airport Site43.9 points Blue Clay Road Site31.6 points Fifth Street Site26.0 points Chairman Caster asked if the Airport Authority had been notified about the possible use of the property. Project Engineer Thompson responded that several county-owned sites were considered before selecting three sites; consequently, no one was contacted about the possible use of a site before the visit. Vice-Chairman Greer asked if the Airport site was available. County Attorney Copley responded that the lease between New Hanover County and the Airport Authority would have to be reviewed, and approval would have to be received from the FAA before this site could be considered. Discussion followed on construction costs. Mr. Carter advised that construction costs do NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 27 MINUTES OF WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS JAIL EXPANSIONPAGE 445 AUGUST 23, 1999 not include the cost of the site; however, New Hanover County will be financially responsible for removing the landfill on the Blue Clay Road site. The following costs estimates were presented: Option A: Construction of 320 beds with utilization of the Main Jail $15,259,341 Soft Costs (Contingency @ 8%, furniture, equipment, etc.) 3,591,381 $18,850,722 Cost Option B: Construction of 384 beds closing the 2nd Floor of the $16,454,257 Main Jail and using this space for jail use. Soft Costs 3,871,973 $20,326,220 Cost Option C: Construction of 552 beds, closing the Main Jail$20,992,502 Soft Costs 4,948,015 $25,940,517 Cost Sheriff McQueen expressed concern for Option C providing only 552 total beds with the Main Jail being closed. He said the Main Jail can house 400 inmates at one time and the Jail Annex can house 25 inmates, which means you will not be receiving that many new beds under Option C. Mr. Carter responded that Option C will provide 552 total beds; however, the planning can be changed to use 56 bed housing instead of 48 bed housing to increase the total number of beds to 600 without a major increase in price. Sheriff McQueen stressed the importance of having at least 600 beds if the Main Jail is going to be closed. Chairman Caster requested an explanation of the bed counts per unit. Mr. Green presented a chart showing that each module would be comprised of three separate housing units of 48 beds. He stated the units could be increased to 56 beds which will provide an additional 70 to 80 beds at a reasonable cost with no increase in staffing. In North Carolina, there is a different size requirement for a single cell and double cell; therefore, every housing unit with 56 single cells must be next to two housing units with 56 double cells. Each single cell must have natural daylight. This can be handled by placing a skylight in one section of a wall where a window cannot be placed or by using an open bay to shine in a general area. Further discussion was held on the number of inmates in the jail on a daily basis. Sheriff McQueen reported the jail population has not been under 300 inmates in the last six to seven years. He emphasized the importance of providing enough beds with the jail expansion and stated it would be more cost-effective to have one jail in one area. County Manager O’Neal advised that 79 inmates are staying in out-of-county jail facilities at $50 per inmate per day not including transportation. This process is becoming quite costly to the County and a decision needs to be made quickly on how to resolve the jail overcrowding. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 27 MINUTES OF WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS JAIL EXPANSIONPAGE 446 AUGUST 23, 1999 Chairman Caster spoke in favor of building one jail facility and creating the holding room as suggested by Vice-Chairman Greer. After a lengthy discussion of each site and option, the Board directed staff to pursue the following items: ? Review the use of the Airport Site as a first priority and the Blue Clay Road site as the second choice for construction of a new jail facility. The Fifth Street site can be eliminated. ? Review administration space for the Sheriff at either jail. ? Develop a recommendation for renovating the sallyport in the Main Jail to provide a holding space in the lower level as a day time holding center with use of the remaining space for County offices such as the Emergency Operations Center, 911 Center and other associated activities. ? Request the Sheriff to prepare a list of items that he would like moved to a new jail, including a shooting range. Discussion was held on how the BellSouth Building will be used if the administrative space for the Sheriff is moved to a new jail facility. Sheriff McQueen advised that the Detective Division should be moved into the BellSouth Building as scheduled until the new jail facility is constructed. At that time, this space can be used for other County offices. County Manager O’Neal noted that space in the BellSouth Building could easily be converted into County offices to relieve some overcrowding in the Annex Building and Administration Building. Chairman Caster commented on space that will be created in the BellSouth Building and other changes that will occur with the construction of a new jail, and he suggested that Staff review these changes to see how they will coordinate with the plans for a new County Administration Building. County Manager O’Neal responded that these changes would be taken into consideration once a final plan and site have been selected for a new jail facility. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Caster adjourned the meeting at 2:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Lucie F. Harrell Clerk to the Board