The
Kay County Excise Board met in special session at
Chairman Harden called the meeting to order. Those present were as follows: J. C. Estes, Vice-Chairman;
Charles Abbott, Blackwell Journal Tribune;
Wayne White, Newkirk Herald Journal; Sharon Rowen, Ponca City News; Tammy
Reese, County Clerk/Secretary (see sign-in sheet). Member Joe R. Cary was absent.
Motion was
made by Estes and seconded by Harden to approve Application for Temporary
Appropriations, City of
Motion was
made by Estes and seconded by Harden to approve the following Cash Fund
Estimate of Needs and Request for Appropriation: Treasurer’s Mortgage Certification Cash
Fund-$1,015.00, Exhibit B; Highway Cash Fund, BIA, Dist#1-$414,085.01, Exhibit
C. Motion carried: Estes, aye; Harden, aye.
J. C. Estes
moved to continue the meeting in Courtroom A where a public hearing was being
held to discuss jail issues.
Chairman
Leven introduced Billy Wasson and Robert Aguirre, Consultants, who are
contracted by the National Institute of Corrections. The team presented a power point presentation
and distributed a nine page assessment, in the community meeting, their
observations of the jail and justice system.
In the
Executive Summary of the assessment, their advice was to retro fit the current
building until research shows that it is not cost effective to pursue that
option any further. The team could not
give a final answer on whether or not the jail should be replaced or remodeled
until further technical work is done.
They pointed out that the building should be examined structurally,
electrically, and from a plumbing standpoint, stating that professionals in
those particular fields should be called to look at building. Items that need to be totally replaced in the
jail to meet the needs of a modern jail:
The door control and door locking system should be replaced and in the
process of doing that the control rooms should be consolidated to a single
central control room; the windows to the exterior should all be replaced with
corrections designed windows.
The
consultant team suggested using video conferencing technology, not only would
this technique be cost effective but it would offer considerable staff savings
and courthouse security safety would be enhanced.
The team
sees ample space in and around the current jail/courthouse for expansion
depending on the cities willingness to vacate the street adjacent to the jail
and or relocate the parking on the North side of the building.
The team
indicated that current management and operating philosophy of the jail is based
on a belief that all inmates are dangerous and that staff should be fearful to
enter the housing units unless they have immediate backup, especially a
deputy. The staff has turned over the
inmate housing areas and allowed inmates to run. The team said this is partially the fault of
the small staffing but is also the fault of the management philosophy of the
Sheriff’s office. The team suggested
using privileges for inmates such as, television, library, exercise yard,
etc. This would give inmates incentives
and help with disciplinary problems. If
administered properly, an incentive program could provide a much happier and
safer environment for both inmates and staff.
Preliminary
Recommendations: Form and operate a
Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; Create an Information Systems Resource
support to staff the Coordination Committee; Implement an early risk assessment
of arrestees with information sharing to make detention, bond setting, and
pre-trial release charging decisions; Develop a continuum of sanctions and
services from incarceration to community supervision with various options at
each stage on the continuum. This
recommendation includes the
need for
a risk/needs assessment process for all supervised offenders (misdemeanors and
felonies); Engage in a master planning process to plan for improvements to the
jail.
The
consultant team noted that the Pretrial Release Program that has recently been
implemented is a good beginning of an alternative to the jail program. Other options that the new criminal justice
coordination council should consider are individual community service beyond
the very minimal use that it has today.
In
approximately two weeks the consultant team will mail to the County a full
report that will describe the issues in more detail.
Motion was
made by Estes and seconded by Harden to adjourn (
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Approved this _____ day of _____________, 2006.
__________________________________
FLOYD
HARDEN, CHAIRMAN
__________________________________
J.C.
ESTES, VICE-CHAIRMAN
__________________________________
JOE
R. CARY, MEMBER
ATTEST:
________________________________
TAMMY REESE,
SECRETARY, COUNTY EXCISE BOARD
(SEAL)
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