I am concerned about recent actions of the County Board and groups within county government regarding construction of a new jail. In a recent motion, the County Board approved what was proposed as a $59.1 million expenditure for a new county jail. My primary concern is that the entire process has been, ultimately, an end-run around voter review and approval via a referendum, which is the ordinary and legal way to secure approval of public projects over $60 million. Every effort has been made to “fly under the radar” of voter review and approval.
I was present at one of the first “community advisory meetings,” held at Lakeshore School. The presenters tried very hard to make their presentation seem to be informational only. However, when I asked whether the decision regarding not only what was to be built but also whether there would be such a project had already been made, after much hemming and hawing, I was told that the decision had, in fact, already been made. It was, in other words, a “done deal.” The whole process, from the beginning to the present time, has been deceptive.
Now, most recently, I understand that a test of the site has been done. Results indicate that land instability would require the use of pilings as supports for any structure on the plot of land along Ann Street. Although I am not an expert on construction, even I know that that will add substantially to the cost of construction. I have been told that the response of the group which is pushing the project forward is that they will simply make changes in the building specifications to stay within the $59.1 million. This means to me that this group has every intention of keeping this issue away from a referendum. Every person with whom I have spoken about this project, both proponents and opponents, have acknowledged that $59.1 million is not the full cost of the project, even the full cost of the funding which will have to come in a bond issue (or two bond issues). Most estimates range between $100 million and $150 million. Even the $59.1 million which you have approved will add 15% to my property tax each year for the next thirty years.
We have not had full disclosure to the voters, and the issue has not come before them in a referendum. We would not permit our school district to do this. We ought not to permit the county to do this. Let the group which is proposing the project make its case to the voters, in the same way that we require the school district to do this to secure approval of a bond issue. I am opposed even to building the new jail, and especially on that site. However, if the voters indicate their approval, then I will stand down from the issue. If the voters do not have the opportunity to approve or disapprove the proposal and the bond issue and when they discover that your action has led to a 15% to 30% increase in property taxes over the term of the bond(s), I believe that you will face the ire of the taxpayers. I realize that your approval of the $59.1 million was not for a bond issue; it was to come from the county’s budget. However, the effect on the property tax is the same.
If you were one of the persons who voted to approve this matter, I strongly encourage you to make a “motion to reconsider” the original motion (following Robert’s Rules of Order). Bring the issue back. Require full disclosure. Ask for an itemized estimate of the full cost of the project, to determine the actual size of the bond issue which will be necessary or the full impact on the county budget. I think that the strategy is to get the walls and roof on the ground and then to come back for funds for completion, a two-strike strategy. I am hopping mad about this because some persons are trying to pull the wool over the county residents’, taxpayers’ eyes. I do not like to see things decided in the smoky back room. Bring this issue out into the light of day. Let’s thrash it out in the public forum, with full disclosure.
Thank you for reading my concerns. I know that you will give them serious consideration. I fully expect this issue to be taken up by the County Board as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Nick Smiar
