Brown discovered at a Council meeting two weeks ago that opposition to a jail is very real and has nothing to do with Lamont McClure's campaign for Executive. It has everything to do with Nazareth area residents, most of whom happen to be Republicans. Though Council feigned ignorance, Ryan Woodmansee tartly told them to knock it off. "The cloak is off," he said. Taken by surprise, Brown talked in circles instead of just plainly answering their concerns. The best thing he could have said is that there would be no jail at Gracedale. But he refused to say that, just as he refused to say it earlier in the week during his budget address.
These residents are mobilized, have started on online petition, formed Facebook group #NoJailatGracedale, and conducted a refreshing Q and A on Sunday with both Executive and Council candidates.
In the meantime, Brown has belatedly realized that his intransigence could cost him this election. So late last week, on Facebook, he made this announcement: "Unequivocally, as long as I am County Executive there will never be a jail built at Gracedale!"
Today, at Council's Finance Committee, he said that the $78,000 study (one he could have obtained at no charge from the Department of Corrections) should be in his hands on Friday or Monday. But he had a one-page summary containing seven options considered by DLR. (These are listed below) and the savings that could be realized from the $115 per day per bed it currently costs the county to house prisoners. He said the option recommended (#7) is to build a new jail on campus
"Right now, it's pointing to remaining here in Easton on this campus, doing a new facility on this footprint."
Brown was unable to explain the options in any great detail, and said that would come with the full report. He indicated on Sunday that the savings in incarceration costs could be $6 million per year.
One of the criteria considered is community support. Amazingly, the worst rating for community support is "fair." Obviously,community support for a jail at Gracedale is abysmal. I question how this study determined community support. I doubt there were any surveys.
I also question whether the sudden push to build in place is the result of engineering work or a desire to get re-elected.
Seven Options
1) Keep West Easton and build 768 bed facility at a new undisclosed site. - $86.42 per day per bed.
2) Keep West Easton and build 768 bed facility at a new undisclosed site. - $88.78 per day per bed..
3) Work release downtown and build 768 bed facility at a new undisclosed site. - $88.78 per day per bed..
4) Acquire West Easton for both work release and detention with 912 beds - $81.89 per day per bed
5) Consolidate detention and work release with 960 beds at a new site - $78.98 per day per bed
6) Split detention of 912 beds keeping some downtown and some in a 512-bed facility at West Easton - $95.31 per day per bed.
7) Build a new detention center downtown and acquire West Easton for 912 beds total at a cost of $80.37 per bed per day.
19 comments:
Bernie, where was county council for the past year? Sorry but they were asleep at the switch. They knew all about this new prison nonsense for a year. Two weeks ago they acted as though it was a sate secret. Now they are scrambling to tell people they never wanted a new jail, especially at Gracedale.
Sorry but the incumbents have lost all credibility on this issue. As one Nazareth area resident said this is Brown's mess but the county council is either ignorant or incompetent regarding this issue and letting it go this far.
I agree. They all got caught before the election and now are on CMA mode!!
The report he disclosed makes little sense. This was worth $78,000?
When have you EVER been able to trust Brown and his cronies word. Don't start now!
@ 5:18.
Sad thing is, they are easily distracted and vote party lines knowingly and willfully
I see no difference between 1 and 2
Except the cost per bed
All options are no good why pay a landlord millions of dollars to house at West Easton when it's easier to just build on site. Tear down the flats, gallery, RHU,BHU,JTIER,and K TIER and build a tower up just like what was put up in 2006. Build it so that floors can be added in the future if needed. To move of site is ridiculous it would cost more money than staying on site. More sheriff's would have to hired transport costs would go up etc. This is politicians who really have no idea what the he'll they are doing in 6he positions that they were voted into. And now they are all scrambling to save there collective asses. I have worked for the county for 20 years and have always enjoyed what I do for the residents of Northampton county. But since brown has taken over and 6he idiots who call them selves county council I am truly embarrassed to say I work for the county. Yes brown has not raised taxes but you can only balance ypur budget on the backs of the employees for so long eventually taxes will have to be raised and it will a ridiculous amount. I'm glad I don't live in Northampton county because when the tax increase comes and it will just like it did in Lehigh County it will be a big increase. Good luck residents of Northampton County.
Well, I guess he will be removing the parking lots for the new prison. So Brownie, where do the several hundred cars go ? Why not build it at the Bangor Development site on Ridge Rd. ?
8:34, I suspect they are different locations.
While construction is underway, the county could lease the St. Anthony's lot a block from the courthouse for a reasonable price, as they did when the parking deck was initially being repaired. Tear down the scrubby parking deck and build the new jail there. When occupied tear down the old prison and put a new parking garage for prison employees in its place.
On a per bed cost, Option #5 is most attractive, although the total cost of that facility would be higher when the per bed cost is multiplied by the total number of beds. However, that total cost may not mean it's not the most attractive option for Brown to pursue.
When you look at the 2018 budget, you'll see the Corrections Department has increased Intergovernmental Fees from 2016 at $25,973 to 2017 at $139,634. The budget projects that increase to continue in $883,000 in 2018. These fees are collected by the county for housing federal inmates.
While Options 6 & 7 cap the total beds at 912, Option 5 pushes it to 960. Based on the Morning Call article on Sept 13, 2016, the population has averaged around 662. It doesn't seem like much of a leap to conclude the extra capacity is being looked at as a revenue stream for the county and Option 5 maximizes that by having the most number of beds available.
Don't forget that during the Tuskes Park Q&A session, John Brown said that he will evaluate the DLR report's recommendations and follow the option that is in the best interest of all Northampton County's tax payers. I don't see anything in the blog above to show that he won't follow Option 5 and pursue building a combined prison and work release facility at a greenfield location. "Right now, it's pointing to remaining here in Easton..." can very well turn into a decision after the election to pursue building on the farmland surrounding Gracedale when there is more time to re-evaluate the options. It all depends no what John Brown considers to be the best option for Northampton County, not necessarily the 2% of Northampton County's residents in Upper Nazareth.
Brown is claiming a 500% increase in revenue for federal prisoners in one year? Really? Did any of the dullards on county council even question this silly claim?
This guy is with out a doubt the most incompetent and unqualified person to have ever been county executive, and that is saying a lot.
It is time for he and the clueless stooges who just nod in agreement to be sent home. It would be nice to have some breathing, thinking people in government at the county.
I also agree the way this guy flips and flops, If re-elected a jail at Gracedale is probably a given.
Northampton County does not house any federal inmates die to being out dated. The only way for the county to house federal inmates in Northampton county is for an all new state of the art prison to be built. Even with a new addition on site the feds probably will not house inmates there due to areas that are still outdated and in operation.
Hey 5:09 aka Director Keen:
Thanks for clarifying sound like you had a lot of meeting on this... why so secretive!?
Please explain Page 122 of the proposed budget where it states fees increased from the US Marshalls.
Here it is:
Budget Changes: Intergovernmental increased due to the addition of funding received from the U.S.Marshalls for housing federal inmates. Fees, fines, charges, and miscellaneous increased due to higher expected collections of central booking and community corrections fees.
Don't know what that is bit I can assure you there are no federal inmates being housed in the jail.
Butterbean Keen must be upset that his dream jail will not be built at Gracedale. All if those taxpayer paid junkets to "model prisons" all over creation were a waste of time and money. Keen was more than likely scouting them out for his next job.
West Easton has only approved 150 beds for "low-level" offenders as a treatment facility and not a prison. The property is owned by Abe Atiyah and I don't think it is large enough to maintain 500+ prisoners. Unless the County leases more space from Atiyah, or buys the property outright, I think the West Easton options are putting the cart before the horse. In both cases (lease or purchase) I don't see how the "per day" costs are being arrived at. If what I read about Atiyah is true, he'll want twice what the property is worth in a sale and will rape the County in any lease agreement.
undisclosed locations?? We all know what that means. What bullshit!
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