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<br />May 2, 2005 (Work Session) <br /> <br />Page 155 <br /> <br />The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met for an Agenda <br />Work Session in the Multipurpose Room at the Cabarrus County Governmental <br />Center in Concord, North Carolina on Monday, May 2, 2005, at 3:30 p.m. <br /> <br />Present - Chairman: Carolyn B. Carpenter <br />Vice Chairman: Robert W. Carruth <br />Commissioners: Robert M. Freeman <br />Joni D. Juba <br />Coy C. Privette <br /> <br />Also present were John D. Day, County Manager; <br />Jr., County Attorney; Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to <br />Honeycutt, Deputy Clerk to the Board. <br /> <br />Fletcher L. <br />the Board; <br /> <br />Hartsell, <br />and Kay <br /> <br />Chairman Carpenter called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. <br /> <br />Commissioner Freeman gave the invocation. <br /> <br />Report on Meeting with Secretary Beck Regarding the Temporary Jail <br /> <br />Chairman Carpenter reported on a recent meeting with Secretary of <br />Corrections Theodis Beck and other State officials concerning the possibility <br />of constructing a temporary jail on State-owned property at the Cabarrus <br />Correctional Center in Mt. Pleasant. She proposed that the County construct <br />the temporary jail at the Mt. Pleasant site, use it for three years and then <br />sell the facility, less the land cost, to the State. Chairman Carpenter said <br />Secretary Beck had agreed to perform a needs assessment and to allow the <br />County to do soil testing at the Mt. Pleasant site. She reported the State <br />officials had expressed some concern about the material to be used in <br />constructing the interior walls of the proposed facility and would prefer a <br />more durable product. However, she stated an alternate proposal could be <br />included in the bid package to address that concern. <br /> <br />Chairman Carpenter asked for a consensus by the Board to begin site <br />testing at the Mt. Pleasant site. <br /> <br />Commissioner Juba questioned the cost of soil testing. <br /> <br />Kelly sifford, Community Development Manager, reported the soil tests <br />at the Arena site were approximately $7,500.00. <br /> <br />Mr. Hartsell stated the primary issue is the projected life of the <br />proposed temporary jail. He explained the State requires a useful life of 30 <br />years for its facilities and the temporary jail has a projected life of only <br />15 years. Also, Mr. Hartsell advised that approval by the Council of State <br />could be a lengthy process as it took three to five years to get approval for <br />property at Frank Liske Park. He stated there is need for space in the <br />prison system but the State must determine if the Mt. Pleasant site is the <br />appropriate location for the additional space and if the proposed facility <br />would meet its needs. Finally, Mr. Hartsell advised it would be a "gamble" to <br />build the facility at the Mt. Pleasant site with no buy-back guarantee from <br />the State. <br /> <br />There was a general discussion on the following jail related issues: <br />the time constraints in addressing jail overcrowding; the possibility that it <br />would take the Council of State months or years to reach a decision; the use <br />of taxpayer dollars; and the need to pursue all viable options. Commissioner <br />Privette again proposed the implementation of a pre-trial release program <br />such as the one used in Rowan County. Commissioner Freeman suggested that an <br />auxiliary jail be built on the Justice Center site in downtown Concord. <br /> <br />Ms. Sifford advised the only available space for the temporary jail on <br />the Justice Center site would be the site of the future tower expansion. She <br />stated extensive re-design and acquisition of additional property would be <br />required to place the facility on the downtown site. <br /> <br />After <br />constructing <br />the plans for <br /> <br />discussion, the Board agreed by consensus not to pursue <br />a temporary jail at the Mt. Pleasant site and to proceed with <br />the temporary jail at the Arena. <br /> <br />Resolution of utility Issues with the City of Concord <br /> <br />Chairman Carpenter reported the County is still under court supervised <br />mediation in the water and sewer dispute with the City of Concord. To aid in <br />the resolution of the dispute, she stated Mr. Day and Brian Hiatt, Concord <br />City Manager, had selected a facilitator, Phil Boyle (Leading and Governing <br />Associates), to assist County and City representatives to reach an agreement. <br />