Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 26, 1993 TAG: 9311290165
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Following a closed session late Monday, it named Assistant County Administrator Peter Huber and Sheriff Ralph Dobbins as its representatives on the regional jail advisory board.
The advisory board has been working for several years toward a regional jail, completing several studies as required by the state. Its membership has shifted during that time, with the city of Radford and counties of Floyd and Giles staying on, Carroll and Grayson counties joining during the process and Wythe and Pulaski counties dropping off.
Pulaski County decided to fund its own study to see if it would be cheaper to expand its own jail than to be part of a regional operation.
The study was completed by CGA Consulting Services and Draper Aden Associates. Warren Light, a CGA representative, told the board Monday that it could expand its own jail with less expense but that would be only a temporary measure and Pulaski County would soon face the same problems again.
By then, Light said, the state would no longer be providing half the construction cost as it has said it will do for one more funding cycle. So the county would end up spending much more in the long run.
The regional jail board is rushing to complete its paperwork in time to qualify for the 50 percent state funding, and needed to know this week if Pulaski County was in or out.
``We know that the state lies. It changes its mind all the time,'' Supervisor Bruce Fariss said. It would be hard to sell voters on paying $4.5 million toward an $8.9 million regional jail instead of a little more than $1 million to expand its own jail.
``Anything that is done for the existing jail is short-term,'' Light said. ``In a very few years, you will be in the same position that you are now.''
He said there is no room to expand the jail as it would have to expand to handle growing prisoner populations. It already has wiring and plumbing problems, and is rated for only 47 of the 96 prisoners it now houses.
``The cells have been double-bunked. There are occasionally people on the floor,'' he said.
Pulaski County's share of the engineering and architectural planning required for state funding on the regional jail will be $34,496. Cost to each locality is based on general population rather than prisoner population.
Fariss moved that the county not participate. ``I think we either make a commitment to do it or not,'' he said, and he chose the latter. His motion was defeated 4-1 and a motion to participate then passed 4-1.
Fariss said it would be unfair for Pulaski County to be part of the planning and then withdraw later. That would mess up the geographical and prisoner numbers portion of the planning, he said.
Huber said the advisory board had looked at two potential sites for a regional jail. If Pulaski County did not participate, a site on Virginia 100 about six miles north of Hillsville would be preferred. With Pulaski County as part of the region, he said, it would more likely be located on a portion of the Flow Labs property in the county.
Existing jail staffs would be used for the regional jail. Regional employees would provide all prisoner transportation to and from the jail for work assignments and court hearings. Localities would get inmate labor based on their number of inmates in the jail.
by CNB