Jailhouse Expansionism Seeks Wide Vote
With a relatively flat population base, you might think that the need for jail space in Clatsop County would remain flat as well. It hasn't. The need for jail space has increased over the years due to an increase in responsibility for prisoners handed down from levels of higher government and from increased sentence terms assigned to those convicted of offenses. In addition, there needs to be some room to house prisoners by sex and by level of security required. As it is, prisoners are being housed in rented beds in the Tillamook County facility and others are being set free when there are no beds to accommodate them. According to county manager Britt Ferguson, we would all be appalled if we knew the types of individuals being set free daily simply because of lack of jail space.
The current Clatsop County jail was built in 1979 and was comprised of 18,680 square feet to house 30 inmates, the county sheriff's department, administrative offices, a squad room for patrol deputies and an emergency operations center. Currently, the demand for jail beds has ranged from 66 to 90, with a daily average of 82. The cells in the jail are currently double-bunked and a small storage space has been turned into an office for the jail administrator.
Arbuckle Costic Architects, Inc. of Salem, Oregon was hired to prepare a facility study for Clatsop County. It was presented to the county commissioners on July 7, 1998. That study was conducted with several assumptions: 1. One of the county's goals would be to retain county government functions accessible in downtown Astoria. 2. The county would want to retain ownership of, and continue to utilize in some capacity, the historic county courthouse building between Duane and Commercial Streets in downtown Astoria. 3. All sites were studied with the assumption that the county would provide adequate parking for employees and visitors to the site of the couith a relatively flat population base, you might think that the need for jail space in Clatsop County would remain flat as well. It hasn't. The need for jail space has increased over the years due to an increase in responsibility for prisoners handed down from levels of higher government and from increased sentence terms assigned to those convicted of offenses. In addition, there needs to be some room to house prisoners by sex and by level of security required. As it is, prisoners are being housed in rented beds in the Tillamook County facility and others are being set free when there are no beds to accommodate them. According to county manager Britt Ferguson, we would all be appalled if we knew the types of individuals being set free daily simply because of lack of jail space.
The current Clatsop County jail was built in 1979 and was comprised of 18,680 square feet to house 30 inmates, the county sheriff's department, administrative offices, a squad room for patrol deputies and an emergency operations center. Currently, the demand for jail beds has ranged from 66 to 90, with a daily average of 82. The cells in the jail are currently double-bunked and a small storage space has been turned into an office for the jail administrator.
Arbuckle Costic Architects, Inc. of Salem, Oregon was hired to prepare a facility study for Clatsop County. It was presented to the county commissioners on July 7, 1998. That study was conducted with several assumptions: 1. One of the county's goals would be to retain county government functions accessible in downtown Astoria. 2. The county would want to retain ownership of, and continue to utilize in some capacity, the historic county courthouse building between Duane and Commercial Streets in downtown Astoria. 3. All sites were studied with the assumption that the county would provide adequate parking for employees and visitors to the site of the county jail.
The study included analysis of a minimum building footprint needed based on projected use until the year 2010, long-term expansion capability of the site, parking, total site costs, construction costs, physical proximity to other related county facilities, ease of access, surrounding uses and zoning. The study presented three alternatives for discussion of the commissioners and two other sites were offered by those reviewing the study. From this data the county commissioners have narrowed the scope of review to two sites: One immediately adjacent to the current county courthouse in downtown Astoria and another on county-owned land in Warrenton's North Coast Business Park, adjacent to the Oregon Youth Authority Detention Center and the Clatsop County Animal Shelter.
Information comparing the two sites is available from the Clatsop County Commissioners or county manager's office and has recently been mailed in small brochure form to residents of the county. The cost figures for the site are not entirely apples to apples, however. The downtown Astoria site, with direct access to the county courts and currently served by public transportation, is shown to cost approximately $20.9 million to build. That figure does not include, however, cost of acquisition of private property included in the planned footprint for the building, nor demolition of existing buildings that would have to occur. The North Coast Business Park site cost, shown at approximately $18 million to build, would not need either of those additional costs since the county already owns the land and there are not buildings to demolish.
There is more room for expansion of the Warrenton site, though buildings around the proposed Astoria site all exceed the supposed maximum height planned for the jail there, which has been capped at two stories. The Astoria capacity also does not include demolition and incorporation of the space currently occupied by the county health department.
As in any proposal, numbers may be made to indicate whatever outcome is desired. The only solution to the planning process is to jump in and participate. Call your county commissioners, read the brochures and information packets and attend public meetings. The jail will be built with or without you. With your participation, it might just house prisoners longer than the 20 years the current jail has lasted, and it might accommodate those working in the system in a more convenient manner. There is even talk about consolidation of more services in one location, such as having the state police sharing space and expenses.
The commissioners say they are seeking input on the decision and that they have promoted the public meetings sufficiently. So far, however, less than 50 people have chosen to attend. If you go to the meetings, let them know you read this information in Lower Columbia BUSINESS.
The following 6:30pm public forums will be held in September: Gearhart City Hall, on the 7th; Seaside's Bob Chisholm Community Center, 9th; in Arch Cape at the St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church, 14th; at the Astoria Public Library, 16th; Jewell School, 21st; Westport Community Center, 23rd. Call for specific addresses and get involved. LCBnty jail.
The study included analysis of a minimum building footprint needed based on projected use until the year 2010, long-term expansion capability of the site, parking, total site costs, construction costs, physical proximity to other related county facilities, ease of access, surrounding uses and zoning. The study presented three alternatives for discussion of the commissioners and two other sites were offered by those reviewing the study. From this data the county commissioners have narrowed the scope of review to two sites: One immediately adjacent to the current county courthouse in downtown Astoria and another on county-owned land in Warrenton's North Coast Business Park, adjacent to the Oregon Youth Authority Detention Center and the Clatsop County Animal Shelter.
Information comparing the two sites is available from the Clatsop County Commissioners or county manager's office and has recently been mailed in small brochure form to residents of the county. The cost figures for the site are not entirely apples to apples, however. The downtown Astoria site, with direct access to the county courts and currently served by public transportation, is shown to cost approximately $20.9 million to build. That figure does not include, however, cost of acquisition of private property included in the planned footprint for the building, nor demolition of existing buildings that would have to occur. The North Coast Business Park site cost, shown at approximately $18 million to build, would not need either of those additional costs since the county already owns the land and there are not buildings to demolish.
There is more room for expansion of the Warrenton site, though buildings around the proposed Astoria site all exceed the supposed maximum height planned for the jail there, which has been capped at two stories. The Astoria capacity also does not include demolition and incorporation of the space currently occupied by the county health department.
As in any proposal, numbers may be made to indicate whatever outcome is desired. The only solution to the planning process is to jump in and participate. Call your county commissioners, read the brochures and information packets and attend public meetings. The jail will be built with or without you. With your participation, it might just house prisoners longer than the 20 years the current jail has lasted, and it might accommodate those working in the system in a more convenient manner. There is even talk about consolidation of more services in one location, such as having the state police sharing space and expenses.
The commissioners say they are seeking input on the decision and that they have promoted the public meetings sufficiently. So far, however, less than 50 people have chosen to attend. If you go to the meetings, let them know you read this information in Lower Columbia BUSINESS.
The following 6:30pm public forums will be held in September: Gearhart City Hall, on the 7th; Seaside's Bob Chisholm Community Center, 9th; in Arch Cape at the St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church, 14th; at the Astoria Public Library, 16th; Jewell School, 21st; Westport Community Center, 23rd. Call for specific addresses and get involved. LCB
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