Upper Nazareth Residents Say No Jail at Gracedale

Ryan Woodmansee

Upper Nazareth Township residents upset at the prospect of a new jail in their back yards have mobilized. In five days, #NoJailatGracedale has collected over 1,000 signatures in opposition to any new jail at Northampton County's Gracedale campus. They were at Upper Nazareth Township's Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday night. Last night, 12 Eagles Landing residents let Northampton County Council know how they feel.

Though both Council and Executive John Brown have been tight-lipped about it, discussions about a new jail began a year ago, following a presentation in which Corrections Director Dan Keen called the current facility "a beast."

At that time, Administrator Cathy Allen said the County is very serious about a new site, and hinted that "some of the people we need to be in our corner will be in our corner." Bob Werner added, "There are people we have met with in the past that have changed. Positions have changed."

Mat Benol - Objections just  "political fodder"

In the past year, by his own admission, Brown has visited about a dozen different locations for a new jail. He has declined to name them, but has ruled out Easton. He said the costs of building a high rise there would be "exorbitant." Possible sites include Bethlehem's industrial park near Hellertown Road, Wayne Grube Park, the slate belt and Gracedale. Brown has ridiculed the notion that he visited Wayne Grube Park. But at the same time, he said that county should be looking at properties it already owns.

One of these properties is a portion of the Gracedale campus, located near Eagle's Landing, buffered on three sides by hills. Over the years, it has been discussed as a site for a new jail

Upper Nazareth Township officials say no formal plans have been presented for a jail at Gracedale. Manager EJ Mentry acknowledges contacts with the county, but says there have been no communications within the past few months.

Brown has stated that zoning law rules out a jail at the Gracedale campus. But as Brown undoubtedly knows, the argument can be made that Upper Nazareth's zoning is exclusionary. Though the Zoning Ordinance provides for prisons, it is only in zones where no prisons could ever be built, like a quarry. If a zoning ordinance is determined to be exclusionary, the use must be permitted anywhere. Including Gracedale.

At a prison advisory board meeting in July, Chair Dan Christenson called Gracedale a "great location." Here's an excerpt from the minutes:

Mr. Christenson explained that he believes the valley area near Gracedale would be a great location for a new jail, and he was told a longer than necessary sewer line was installed in the past. [Corrections] Director [Dan] Keen said a site selection has not been discussed from [sic] John Brown, but we have had a group in the jail doing studies to determine exactly what we need. Director Keen said [the current] facility costs us about $115 per day, per inmate. A new facility costs about $67 per day, per inmate. [Prison Advisory Board member Ed] Boscola asked if a new jail would cut out [sic] operating costs in half. Director Keen explained it wouldn't necessarily work out that way because of the need for more officers, based on a staffing analysis. Mr.Christenson asked how much overtime we pay. Director Keen explained the Union Contract dictates we have 1.5 million right off the bat each year in overtime due to the schedule. Mr. Boscola asked if DLR [a prison architect hired by Executive John Brown] would do a financial analysis, staffing analysis, etc. and Director Keen stated yes. Director Keen said they are looking at it from 3 angles and will provide a report when they are done. Mr. Christenson offered the board's assistance when the time is right.

At last night's Council meeting, numerous Eagles Landing residents made clear that Gracedale is far from a "great location."

Attorney Kelly Schreier

When Bob McMahon asked, Council President John Cusick feigned unfamiliarity. "There's been no proposal put before Council," he said, knowing full well that this topic has been under discussion for the past year.

"I understand this is a real concern, and I share your concern, said Hayden Phillips, who lives in Upper Nazareth. Peg Ferraro noted she is opposed to any new jail at Gracedale, not just because of a "not in my back yard" attitude, but for numerous other good reasons. Phillips said he'd share his information with residents. he could start by explaining what Administrator Cathy Allen and Bob Werner meant when they said that some people who at one time opposed a new jail have changed course.

McMahon said he emailed each Council member over a month ago, but heard nothing.

Cindy Lipschutz warned Council, "We are going to fight this and we have the whole community behind us."

Jim Cunningham asked where the feasibility study was. He was told that architectural firm DLR had been hired. "I'm not talking about building, I want to see a feasibility study," he said. He also asked what locations have been visited, and wanted to know if those sites could be listed "before the election."

Instead of answering Cunningham, Benol said that the current jail is a mess. But Cunningham wanted to know if the Easton location has really been studied. "The carriage is getting in front of the horse," he complained.

"It seems like we're pulling teeth here to get answers from Council," said Ryan Woodmansee. He presented a petition with over 1,000 signatures opposed to a new jail at Gracedale. He also disputed Cusick's feigned lack of knowledge about a new jail, referring to newspaper articles indicating clearly that Council is well aware of these plans. "The cloak is off," said Woodmansee. "It's an election year, I'm a Republican myself, but I have no problem crossing party lines come November."

Mat Benol dismissed Woodmnsee's concerns as "political fodder." When Benol stated that this is the first Council that has actually looked at a new jail, Woodmansee noted he has articles from as long ago as 2003 to indicate the opposite.

Julian Kryemadhi told Council that he himself is an immigrant, but knows that the United States is proud of the citizen's right to free speech. In that vein, he asked why Executive Brown deleted a comment on his Facebook page in which Julian merely asked for a new jail update.

Holding her daughter in her arms, Attorney Kelly Schreier said she is "outraged'at the prospect of a jail at Gracedale. "I am also appalled at the lack of transparency and the lack of knowledge that anyone seems to have about this issue. ... Could you please provide some transparency?"

Christine Woodmansee said she and Jenna Hausman introduced themselves as the "two moms" who started the #NoJailatGracedale Facebook page and petition. "We have been on the ground talking to the people of Nazareth who are just outraged about this," said Christine. "People are willing to cross party lines for this. It is that serious of an issue. ... We will hit every single door in Nazareth to make sure we get our point across."

After everyone had spoken, John Brown gave Council and the audience the longest speech he's delivered since he was elected. He failed to address why no new feasibility study is being done, even though there are now problem solving courts and the jail census is dropping. He also failed to list any of the sites he has visited,despite a specific request to do so..

He noted that the zoning at Gracedale is inappropriate, but declined to say whether he has abandoned that site. "Of course, we're going to look at the property we own," he said.

He denied a lack of transparency, saying that it is too early to have a cart or a horse, let alone say that the cart is being placed in front of the horse. He said the process would take four or five years. "It is way too early in the conversation to even be asking those questions," he said.

Brown said that anything that is done, like the hiring if a design architect, would have to be publicly bid. "We're not even sure we could afford to do it," he added. But he said the county does have a responsibility to the jail and the inmates.

He suggested that the public outrage from residents who identified themselves as Republicans is politically driven. "You can conclude for yourself likely how this has gotten started and has gotten inflamed," he said.

Ken Kraft, who supports a jail at Gracedale, attempted to bail Brown out by asking about a morgue.

Then Brown began discussing the county's needs, including toilet paper purchases. "We buy a lot of toilet paper," he said.

I believe him.

"I'm happy to stand on my record, moving forward," he concluded.

Ron Heckman, a former NorCo Council member sitting in the audience, was amused at the discussion. "Every Executive wants to build a pyramid," he wryly observed. "Has he talked to he DA? I have. Has he talked to the courts?" Heckman is running for Council, by the way.