Spokane7
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September 29, 2010 in City
Medical Lake site chosen for jail in 2-1 vote
County commission declares emergency, prepares for April bond
Spokane County commissioners accepted no public testimony but aired their own views on a new jail for an hour and a half Tuesday.
They then voted 2-1 to confirm a site near the Medical Lake interchange of Interstate 90 and to declare an emergency so land-use changes can be made in time for an April bond measure.
Commissioner Bonnie Mager dissented on both decisions.
A handful of citizens who apparently shared Mager’s view did their best to make their point obliquely during the public forum portion of the commissioners’ evening session.
The commissioners’ meeting rules limit the forum to topics that aren’t on the agenda for a hearing. The jail issues were handled as final resolutions, subject to discussion only by commissioners.
Commissioner Todd Mielke pointed out that officials conducted numerous meetings and hearings at which public testimony was accepted. Chairman Mark Richard chided audience members several times for trying to sneak in their comments.
Michael Poulin, part of an ad hoc group called the No New Jail Project, reminded Richard and Mielke of their purchase of the Spokane County Raceway “when we ran over everything and everybody … by flouting environmental regulations.”
Mager opposed the raceway purchase.
She moved to postpone the declaration of emergency and schedule a public hearing, but got no second.
Consultant Jim Kolva assured Mager that the declaration merely eliminated the need to wait until the end of next year to amend the county comprehensive plan. All environmental and land-use procedures would still be followed, he said.
Even so, Mager said, “This really doesn’t pass the straight-face test, and no doubt it will be challenged.”
“That’s to be expected,” Richard said.
Mager argued that a replacement for the Geiger Corrections Center should be housed in a tower on the county courthouse campus to reduce transportation and operating costs. She noted that two consulting studies recommended the campus site.
Mielke and Richard countered that it would take 40 years to realize any savings in operating costs, but a compound of $24 million, 256-bed “pods” would save $54 million in construction costs.
While Mager wanted to spend a year testing jail-alternative programs to make sure the new lockup is the right size, Mielke complained of “paralysis by analysis.”
Mager cited falling crime rates across the country and the county’s need to lay off 67 corrections deputies this summer because of a shrinking inmate population.
But Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said the county’s main jail is still overcrowded and the Geiger Corrections Center – a converted World War II barracks – is unsafe.
Knezovich said he thinks a scaled-down proposal for 1,608 beds in the Geiger replacement is the right size to meet the county’s needs through 2035.
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DHF on September 29 at 5:17 a.m.
I think the building of a new jail is a waste of taxpayers money when you have the vacant prison at Pine Lodge and the former Maximum Security Building that could be refurbished and used. A taxpayer saving suggestion. DHF
Orange on September 29 at 6:24 a.m.
Spokane County commissioners accepted no public testimony but aired their own views…
Great we no longer have a voice in Spokane County.
You’re correct DHF, this is a total waste of money. However, they don’t want to hear from us anymore.
ChefGus/ John Olsen on September 29 at 6:39 a.m.
This one wonders who the “owners” of the property that is going to be used paid for it, when they bought it , and who owned it over time… the “provenance” of the property will likely tell the tale… We are in need of services, and housing, and medical care, and prescription medications for our “jail population” before they get to jail… and after they come out of jail… Sheriff Ozzies gutted program to reduce recidivism worked.. and worked well… where oh where is Alice? j
soccermomsusie on September 29 at 6:44 a.m.
It is true that jail funding seems like an unavoidable socialist endeavor. However…
About 5 years ago, we were 5th wheel touring Oklahoma. They had a very nice combination KOA Campground and minimum security jail. It seemed like a great way to fund a jail - make campers pay for it. It was right by the freeway.
The only downside was it stayed pretty bright all night with all the floodlights.
Perhaps this is something the county commissioners could look into.
I wrote a letter about a similar idea with the racetrack. In Tulsa, they have a combination petting zoo/ drag strip and airport.
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
lewis8457 on September 29 at 6:48 a.m.
we will have a new prison and a racetrack what more does a modern city need?
If anyone still isn’t clear Mielke and Richards are idiots move to Idaho please.
greyhound2 on September 29 at 6:49 a.m.
One way to reduce the prison population is to quit putting so many people in jail. The United States has the highest incarceration rate of any country on the planet, and of any country which has existed in all of recorded history. The United States is just jail happy.
Scoutster on September 29 at 6:52 a.m.
No New Jail. Not needed. There are so many smarter, cheaper, more sustainable solutions.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/09/prison-without-walls/8195/
And these are the fiscal conservatives, huh? Stop drinking the Kool-aid people.
liarsinnews on September 29 at 6:55 a.m.
Oh, the wonders of superior wisdom. I think we should hire Judy Collins to sing her infamous song, “Bring in the Clowns”. If we all pitch in a few bucks each to pay her, she could sing it at the next Spokane county’s televised meeting.
valleyman on September 29 at 7:08 a.m.
Oh look! It’s the same people who are always on here putting down the police now putting down the County Commissioners and the idea of a new jail.
Yeah… this is representative democracy folks. You don’t like it, vote differently. Stop squealing simply because your view is in the minority. Come up with a plan that will actually work, save money, and aid the maximum number of people and run a candidate, or heck, run yourself for one of these elected offices. It’s not the Sheriff’s fault, or the Commissioners’ fault… it’s yours…
You’ll have your chance to vote down a jail bond. The reason Pine Lodge was not selected has been made abundantly clear… It will cost MORE to renovate it and bring it up to code than it will to build a new facility. Having a huge lockup downtown also makes little sense. I don’t know how often any of you have been in the courthouse area, but parking is already nuts. Take away space with the new jail, add hundreds of inmates who will have family members visiting, and viola… more parking congestion.
I say congratulations to the Sheriff, and Commissioners Mielke and Richards. Saving the County $54 million is not chump change and addresses the issue of the immediate need to replace Gieger since the lease is almost up.
I hope some of you and Commissioner Mager witness a little popular democracy in action this Fall and next Spring…
skierdc1 on September 29 at 7:20 a.m.
So here we go: Mielke, Richard and Ozzie-they have one hell of a track record lately! Vote the rats out of office!
Scoutster on September 29 at 7:24 a.m.
Valleyman..
I’d love to see new leadership. Unfortunately, this is a conservative town with kneejerk voters who will always press GOP no matter what.
How do people like this, and Cathy and others stay in office? Their creative solutions to solving problems?
You are 100% right, it is the fault of voters.
Scoutster on September 29 at 7:25 a.m.
btw, when I say “town” I mean the area, not the city.
WillyPeter on September 29 at 7:31 a.m.
We don’t need a new Jefferson elementary on the South Hill either. But where were the voices of you prudent spenders when District 81, led by the inimitable Rocco (you can call me Rocky), decreed, over neighborhood opposition, that a new Jefferson school would be (unnecessarily) built blocks from its present site…and ON seven acres of our historic Hart Field (we’ll call it ‘Concrete-on-the-Green’)… for about $28,000,000. sheeesh!
valleyman on September 29 at 7:33 a.m.
Seems you should seek a local with more intelligent people since you hold those of this area in such ill regard…
Albert on September 29 at 7:39 a.m.
ChefGus has a very interesting point: “Who owns the property wherein the jail will be located”…hummm. To NOT allow We The People to speak at a public forum, run by ELECTED officials who are subject to We The People is outrageous!!! This must stop. Needless to say Chef, who in fact does own this property??? Very good question.
Thank you Bonnie for standing on behalf of us “Broke” and “fed up!” taxpayers.
Soccer…we could move the jail to the race track and include a petting zoo along with the drag strip. The inmates would enjoy the therapy of the animals, maintain the facility, and clean up after the races. What do you think about this proposal?
misjustice on September 29 at 7:46 a.m.
@ valley; Richards and Mielke will find out how much support they have for their newest scheme when the voters tell them NO!
@ ChefGus; you’re right, follow the money. This deal is too sweet for some one’s hand not to be in it.
Vote Mager, the only voice of reason, this November!
riverlaw on September 29 at 8:00 a.m.
Fortunately there are two opportunities to stop this — the land use action to expand the Urban Growth Area is one — the County has a less than stellar track record complying with the Growth Management Act. The second is the vote of the people — I don’t think many people think that this public will support this proposal.
eagleproducer on September 29 at 8:45 a.m.
To call Spokane County’s three commissioner form of governance ” representative democracy” is like calling Burhma a free state. Oh, excuse, me, Myanmar.
I think investigating the provenance of the property in question is an excellent place to start. One will undoubtedly discover one of Richard’s development campaign financiers recently brought the property. I know the piece of property they intend to use was on the market for a long time, being offered by the farmer who use to work it. It then got snapped up but interestingly was not developed when all the other properties around it were. Hmmmm.
I think Ozzie should convert the empty strip malls into work release facilities. I also think the practice of using prisoners to do jobs that people who don’t commit crimes could be doing to support their families is indefensible.
I grew up on the West Plains within a few miles of this proposed site. When my parents bought the land they did so because they wanted to live in a rural setting, like all their neighbors did. Has anyone used that freeway interchange lately? The exit to Medical Lake already backs up onto the freeway during busy times and traffic has increased ten fold in the last decade without any major improvements in transportation infrastructure. Sure, the city made sure to get water and gas out there for their soon to be annexed “neighbors” but nothing else.
eagleproducer on September 29 at 8:49 a.m.
valleyman: I only hold those in this locale in contempt if they don’t know the difference between “locale” and “local” while lecturing me about exercising my first amendment rights, which is something we weren’t allowed to do last night.
PlanB on September 29 at 8:54 a.m.
So now people are complaining because government is actually taking action on something? This issue isn’t exactly new.
johno on September 29 at 9:07 a.m.
If Geiger is unsafe, then just fix it. These two Republican commissioners have lost all perspective. In a time of fiscal uncertainty, and the travesty of the race track, the new jail initiative will go down to defeat by a large margin. Perhaps they feel they can act with impunity because they have a safe Republican seat in a county that traditionally votes Republican. Perhaps the local Republican party people could strike some fear in their hearts and force them to reconsider.
MrNatural on September 29 at 9:35 a.m.
…just follow the money…a project this size will provide all the political donor kickback these two proponents need to wage their next elections…it has nothing to do with needing a jail…hell they can’t even afford to staff the place…
baldw22000 on September 29 at 9:36 a.m.
It’s interesting that we are having so many discussions regarding the money to be spent to house criminals when we have children who are homeless and hungry.
So you committed a crime and now you have to spend time in a jail that is overcrowded and you are not comfortable- not our problem, don’t commit crimes! Maybe if prisioners where not comfortable they would think twice before committing another crime. Let’s just leave them where they are and concentrate on helping our kids become productive adults.
eagleproducer on September 29 at 9:39 a.m.
PanB: Action on what?
To this citizen, expanding the prison state is a failure of criminal justice policy, not a sign of success.
Criminal justice policy needs to be designed with an end goal of eliminating crime, right? Isn’t that the overarching goal, to reduce or eliminate crime? Then ask yourself, does a record level of incarceration reveal success or failure of current policies? Once you reach the inevitable conclusion that the policies are failing, ask yourself why would more of something that isn’t already working be a good idea?
hcamper on September 29 at 9:40 a.m.
Great comments Valleyman. I truly believe in supporting whomever the voters elected into office. There are many elected officials I do not agree with, did not vote for, but support them as our representative nonetheless - namely Obama, Patti Murray and Maria Cantwell.
Loudin on September 29 at 9:45 a.m.
Just FYI:
Todd & Mark would like all of you to stop talking about this. You had your chance at previous council meetings; now is not the the time to second guess their decision. The motion was passed 2-1…so everyone shut up and accept it.
BTW: Don’t try sneaking comments about this into other threads; the two little princes are wise to those sort of shenanigans and they’ll have you removed from the internet(s).
Loudin
yellowcat on September 29 at 10:22 a.m.
greyhound2, exactly. We incarcerate at a per capita rate 7 times higher than Europe. What is wrong with us?
We could start by treating mental illness instead of incarcerating. We could treat drugs and alcohol as public health problems outside the jail. We should release debtors from jail. We should not incarcerate for traffic warrants — Wash. is one of the few states that does. Jail should be for violent people that we have to be afraid of NOT for people we are mad at. There is much to be done to reduce the jail population.
There is a downward trend in crime rates. Despite what Ozzie said last night, violent crime is down in Spokane and across the country. Violent crime in Spokane has trended down the last 15 years. Our jail population dropped from 1100 a couple years ago to 800 now. Forecasted at 750 next year. Why are we building a new jail?
Can we afford to operate it once it is built? Thurston County (Olympia WA) has a new jail. Just completed. Sitting empty. Can’t afford to operate it. Forcasted to sit empty in 2010 and 2011 so far. Costs taxpayers $425,000 per year for the debt service and maintenance while it sits empty. The taxpayers voted down a bond for the jail. The commissioners went back to the drawing table and reduced the cost and size and raised sales tax and built it anyway. Now it is empty. Shades of things to come in spokane?
Consultant Jim Kolva said that the site in Medical Lake can’t be zoned residential because it is an airport zone (crash zone?). Why can the incarcerated live there but homeowner’s can’t?
Yes, Richard and Mielke and Ozzie and Sparber got a few hours of TV time to sell the jail to the public. And sell they did. Patting each other on the back. Used the “fear” card.
jddavis on September 29 at 10:42 a.m.
Let’s see…two consultants hired recommended the downtown campus. Two commissioners negate that recommendation, stating that it would take years to realize the savings. Attendees at the meeting are not allowed to talk because, after all, it has been talked about before. The need for jail capacity is/has gone away; existing facilities could be used/modified for use by the county but Mielke and Richard are hell-bent on building a new facility.
ChefGus has it right…follow the money!
spokanecougar on September 29 at 11:13 a.m.
Oh please, please, please, PLEASE put this issue on the ballot you corrupt and idiotic sheriff and county commissioners. Then you can see how quickly the community thinks this is the STUPIDEST idea you have come up with and need to stop wasting out tax money on this STUPID issue.
HOW THE HELL CAN WE POSSIBLE RE-ELECT SHERIFF KNEZOVICH?!?!?! PLEASE SPOKANE THIS GUY IS A CORRUPT MAN WHO IS COVERING UP OFFICER SHOOTINGS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE AND WASTING TAX MONEY TO BUILD HIMSELF A SHINY NEW JAIL WHEN THE CURRENT ONE IS WORKING JUST FINE AND NOT EVEN FULL!!!!!
Thayne on September 29 at 3:59 p.m.
valleyman, how long have you lived in the Spokane area? Did you see how these two worthless county commissioners bought a race track with our tax money even after they found out the land was riddled with toxic waste? They then continued to use tax money on improvements to it while taxpayers where losing their jobs. These two idiots don’t care what the tax payers think. It’s obvious when they denied public comment on this issue. Why do we need a new jail when they laid off workers at the other jail?
hcamper, I really doubt you support the people you mentioned. President Obama has gotten zero support from the party of NO. The next time your at a tea party rally ask how many of those around you support anything except anti-democrat rantings.
zelda on September 29 at 5:27 p.m.
I am curious — really, really curious — about why nobody including the media has addressed the issue of prison gerrymandering. Since prisoners get counted as residents in the census, it distorts representative democracy and the scewed data is purposely exploited for political and monetary advantage.
Look, folks, *anything* that occurs in Airway Heights and the West Plains should immediately fall under suspicion.
>>In many rural county and city governments, substantial portions of individual districts consist of incarcerated people, not actual residents. In a number of places, we’ve found elected officials who owe a majority of their clout to prison populations. http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/impact.html <<
misjustice on September 29 at 6:21 p.m.
Zelda; you pose an interesting scenario; prisoners used to boost population counts (and in some cases force redistricting?), and while they may “count” towards population totals, unless they have had their civil rights restored, they can not vote.
No matter what is (really) behind the Richard/Mielke prison construction push, I have a feeling that voters are going to give this a collective thumbs down.
Bob_Knows on September 29 at 6:37 p.m.
The US already has a higher percentage of men in prisons than any other country in the entire history of countries. We don’t need any more stinkin hellhole jails. What we need is more freedom and less Police State Tyranny. Cut the budget. Fire the pigs. Cancel the hellhole concentration camps.
Bob_Knows on September 29 at 6:44 p.m.
The county is laying off jail workers (see other story). They can’t afford to run the jail they have now. They really, really, really don’t need another jail.
zelda on September 29 at 7:22 p.m.
Probably so, misjustice. But certain people have already reaped the advantage from the prisons that existed at the time of the last census.
For a while, the building of prisons was a no-lose scenario for mostly rural areas because 1) most everybody in conservative towns/cities think a lot of people belong behind bars, 2) building prisons creates construction jobs, 3) there’s a big industry behind incarceration such as suppliers of equipment and food, and 3) prisons create jobs for semi-skilled labor. And there’s the gerrymandered advantage of additional representation to tap into state and federal funds to benefit the power brokers’ business interests.
It’s quite a racket.
misjustice on September 29 at 7:24 p.m.
Zelda; so crime does pay!
Dazzeetrader1980 on September 29 at 9:30 p.m.
1. Don’t vote for the jail and this’ll end it.
2. Don’t vote for Mager because the other two are goofs. Al French will figure this out. He won’t vote for it….he’s already said that. PLUS he’s against this County funding the racetrack…he’ll make it go private and get the county out of this odd choice.
3. Bonnie’s done nothing. She makes a living on criticising others BUT she, herself, has no new ideas ( likely no old ones either).
4. She’s had 4 years to put something forth on this very topic. She has brought forth nothing,’
5. Why do the commissioners all ignore the conclusion the 3 consultants out forth. They all chose the Courthouse area.
6, Careful people..the commissioners can go out for bonds without a vote of the people. Not so in the City..lol..obviously…Verner’s whining after she spent $12 MIILlION ON GOOFY BUILDINGS…when All she had to spend was $3 million in toto. She never put the purchases out for bonds becasue the people had already voted against it 9 months earlier. Guess she doesn’t belive in the ill of the people either.
7. In the end, Ozzie is the culprit on this. HE found and had nourished the West plains location…why there? Because lives only a distance from work.
misjustice on September 29 at 9:51 p.m.
VOTE for Bonnie! ; )
French is as bad as Richard and Mielke; he drank the kool-aide, er signed the “Pledge” of the Spokane Co. Repubs. regarding upholding the party platform (some planks, such as disallowing no-fault divorce, are telling).
“Republican county commissioner candidate Al French said he signed the pledge but inserted a phrase qualifying some items…”
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/sep/19/gop-platform-proves-vexing/
Link to the Spokane Co. Repubs. Party Platform
http://www.spokanegop.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=69
jddavis on September 29 at 10:42 p.m.
Doesn’t Al French support the new jail being located near the Medical Lake exit? If memory serves, Jeff Holy was the only Republican candidate that did not support that location.
Al French told me in July he wants to get the racetrack off the back of taxpayers; that he does not support county ownership.
eagleproducer on September 29 at 10:50 p.m.
Dazee: Yeah, we need another rubber stamp for developers as a county commissioner.
Al French is an architect? What has he designed that I’d know of?
Google Al and architect and see what you come up with. Click on the images.
eagleproducer on September 29 at 10:51 p.m.
Now if Kirtland Cutter was running against Bonnie…
Naw, he’d be in the pocket of the Cowles gang too!
Allegedly.
Dazzeetrader1980 on September 30 at 2:29 a.m.
He’s an honest guy with progressive ideas for the community. He doesn’t support the jail in this huge scope. He does think it shold be kept in town to eliminate duplication of staff and services. While on Council he took lots of grief when he voted for benefits of partner’s and gay spouses.
He insightful whereas Bonnie has had virtually no idease and has put none forward. Jails seems to be necessary. NOT HUGE ones though. Ozzie’s lost his mind with his big budgets….and French doesn’t support his spending ideas.
Maybe he’s too much toward the center for the far right wing of the party. Seems to be the case. I do know I worked with him years ago when Northtown was going under. He not only changed the architecture but he was primarily responible for getting the place filled with tenants. He’s been busy with his architectural business but he’s not one to make a splash….or brag…as I recall.
He knows the job better than anyone because of his 8 years on council as he was the primary interface with the COunty in a spirit of cooperation unlike now. HE was the one single person who fixed STA when it was losing money. Very good citizen. Spokane needs a person like Mr French.
The jail siteing is plain goofy as the 3 consultants each told the County the jail should be on the courthouse campus. Ozzie doesn’t want that. lol..likely because it makes too much sense.
From what I can see, Ozzie’s become an Empire builder…more than willling to spend the taxpayers money. With all this law enforcement mess going on, he’s not making sense like he once did when he was elected. I’m wondering what the thinking is of the other two commissioners. They’re not making much sense either.
No matter, the public simply will not vote for the west plains expense foisted on it by Ozzie and his buds. Nor should it.
The Commissioners hire consultants and disregard what they’re told. Not so good. Racetrack should be turned over to some private group which is what French told them. The County isnt making much sense these days. Verner’s worse…she outright lies to the public. Her time is coming . Vote for French. he’ll get the ship righted.
yellowcat on September 30 at 6:11 p.m.
Daisy,
Go to Bonnie Mager’s web page. She is not a “no” person. She has been pro-active and accomplished much as a county commissioner.
http://votebonniemager.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=75
Al French DOES support the new jail. I’ve never heard a word from him about reducing its scope. John Craig talks about the debate between Bonnie and Al that will be on KSPS, Ch 7 tonight. Al supports the jail — see report today on A6 of Spokesman.
Al French supported the raceway. Go back and check the records. In hindsight, now that it is a boondoggle he says he didn’t have all the information. Well, somehow Bonnie Mager had enough information to vote against it. Al French is using this as an excuse.
We do not need three county commissioners with the same agenda. Bonnie is often outvoted by Mielke and Richard. But she does shine a light where no light will shine if French is elected.
Al French gets much of his support from developers. Look at his PDC reports and see where his campaign money comes from. Then look at Bonnie Mager’s PDC report. Telling.
eagleproducer on October 05 at 6:41 p.m.
It doesn’t really matter if Bonnie wins or loses when two votes constitutes a majority. What a joke. It’s a bigger joke that the positions don’t all come up for election at the same time.
Remember when the talk of consolidation of city/county government arose back in the early 90’s? The proposals floated during that effort called for many more representatives that were to represent specific districts and elected only by people in those districts. The idea of three people for a county with a population of nearly half a million people is outdated and allows for special interests like big money and developers to set the entire agenda. They aren’t really accountable to anyone either, since most people in this county will vote for anyone with an R next to their name regardless if their record clearly demonstrates Spokane County as one of the poorest in the state and only getting worse for those at the bottom of the earnings chart.