BC 2004 12 28 Recessed - Laserfiche WebLink

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December 28, 2004 (Recessed Meeting) Page 41 The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met in recessed session in the Multipurpose Room at the Cabarrus County Governmental Center in Concord, North Carolina on Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at 4:00 p.m. Present - Chairman: Carolyn B. Carpenter Vice Chairman: Robert W. Carruth Commissioners: Robert M. Freeman Joni D. Juha Coy C. Privette Also present were John D. Day, County Manager; Jr., County Attorney; Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to Honeycutt, Deputy Clerk to the Board. Fletcher L. the Board; Hartsell, and Kay Chairman Carpenter called the meeting to order at 4: 00 p. m. Commissioner Privette was not present for the beginning of the meeting. Commissioner Freeman gave the invocation. (1) Approval of Agenda UPON MOTION OF vice Chairman Carruth, seconded by Commissioner Juba, with Chairman Carpenter, Vice Chairman Carruth and Commissioners Freeman and Juba voting for, the Board approved the Agenda with the following additions: Item 7: Scheduling of Future Meeting Datesjand Item 8: Centralina Economic Development Commission Representation. (2) Issues Related to Establishing a Temporary Jail Sheriff Brad Riley discussed the need for immediate measures to alleviate the severe jail overcrowding and comply with the State Jail Inspector's directions. He stated the new jail will not be completed until 2008 and there is no available jail space within a 100-mile radius to house Cabarrus County inmates. Sheriff Riley proposed that a vacant building on Industrial Court be converted into a temporary jail facility to house 50-100 inmates. The facility could be upfitted and ready for use in approximately 10 months. Further, Sheriff Riley stated 18 additional positions (16 officers and one on-site Sergeant and Lieutenant) would be needed to staff the temporary jail facility. He requested funding to begin filling those positions as new hires must undergo six months of training, including Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) and Jail School Training. In order to meet the enrollment deadlines for the next BLET session that begins on March 2 at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, personnel must be hired during the last week of February. Otherwise, he stated the next available BLET class would begin July 1, 2005. Pete Cayado of Ware Bonsall Architects reviewed a schematic design of the proposed layout and discussed renovations needed to upfit the existing facility on Industrial Court. The facility would be developed into four units and house up to 88 prisoners. Mr. Cayado reviewed necessary modifications to accommodate plumbing, mechanical equipment, security, etc. There was lengthy discussion regarding the overcrowding and the need to move forward with plans for a temporary jail. Issues addres.sed during discussion including the following: (1) Potential water problems at the Industrial Court site; (2) Substantial cost (an estimated $1.2 million) to upfit and lease a facility that will be used by the County for a period of three years; (3) Purchasing versus leasing a facility; (4) Unsuitability of converting the exhibit hall at the old fairgrounds property into a temporary jail, including the use of combustible construction material, required rezoning and the potential impact on efforts to sell that property as well as adjacent County property; (5) the County's need for additional storage space; and (6) Pros and cons of using Uhouse arrest" as a means of reducing the jail population. commissioner Privette arrived at 5:00 p.m. during the Board's discussion and was present for the remainder of the meeting. Mr. Day advised that a new facility could be constructed in about the same amount of time that it would take to renovate an existing building. He suggested a facility be constructed on property at the Arena and Events Center. He stated the facility could be used for storage once the temporary jail is no longer needed. However, he said there would be some zoning issues to work through in order to construct the facility at the Arena.