Jail architect David Sholl presented the commissioners with drawings and figures on proposals for 160 and 200 bed additions to the existing jail. This photo shows the 160-bed drawing. The 200 bed version would extend an additional 32 feet to the west. (Photo by Carol Seifferlein)

The commissioners also voted to recommend the board solicit bids for preliminary soil borings for jail construction during the finance committee meeting. The board will vote on the issue at the March 12 meeting.

The architects presented estimated construction costs for four proposals and estimated a savings of $250,000 if jail inmates helped with the renovations instead of bidding it all out. The proposals include the cost for a new free standing facility because that was one of the questions submitted by the commissioners.

The following estimates include soft costs, such as contingency funds and the architects’ fee, and assumes a 2008 bid date and the use of inmate labor, which the sheriff plans to do. However, Sheriff Virgil Strickler warned the commissioners the 1995 addition, which would house the work crew, sits on top of a 30 year old addition.

The estimates do not include financing costs, which will vary depending upon whether the commissioners issue public or private bonds or borrow money from Rural Development, a Department of Agriculture agency.

The most expensive construction would be the 53,000 square foot brand new 200-bed jail at $18,252,895; next, the total 64,070 square foot 200-bed jail with renovations to the existing facility, at $15.08 million; third, the brand new 45,000 square foot 160-bed jail at $16,02.895; and finally, the 56,070 square foot 160 bed addition with renovations to the existing jail at $12,840,400.

The costs take into consideration construction inflation of 5% in both 2007 and 2008.

Three of the commissioners support the 200-bed addition, with renovations to the existing jail. A majority of the seven commissioners must approve a motion for it to pass.

“I like the 200, with the 40 additional beds. It will make $1 million (in bed rental income) to help pay it off,” stated Commissioner Norton Schramm.

“I’d like to look possibly at 200,” agreed Finance Chairman James Ruby.

“I haven’t changed my mind about 254 beds (the citizens student committee’s proposal),” said Commissioner Gary Russell. “But if the votes are not there I’m for 200. That’s all I can live with.”

According to the sheriff’s figures, the 200-bed addition is the only one that will make money, but only as long as the bond proposal is for about 25 years.

Sheriff Strickler said with a 15 year bond payment the difference between the additional revenue and expenses would leave the county $650,758 in the hole with the 160 bed addition and $32,732 in the red with a 200 bed addition. His figures show a $232,979 deficit on a 25-year bond payment on the 160-bed facility and a $456,514 profit with the 200 beds and a 25-year bond.

He used his increased operating costs, the bond payment and the additional income from more federal prisoner bed rentals. He used figures from the county’s financial counsel to obtain the bond payment. He calculated the additional income by taking the number of available beds times the reimbursement times 365 days.

Strickler said the federal marshal’s program will reimburse them for 100% of correctional construction costs in the daily inmate bed rental.

There will not be as much profit as they originally thought because the state plans to save money by putting some prisoners in local jails instead of state prisons.

Strickler said the guidelines aren’t out yet, but he expects they will keep third offense drunk drivers out of the Michigan prison system.

He stated the best case scenario would be eight to 10 additional beds per year for local inmates, and the worst case would be if the state sends 10 to15 prisoners back to the county.

Commissioner William Walters maintains the county can’t afford any of the proposals.

He believes they will have to come up with two years of principle and interest payments up front, not just two years of accrued interest, unless they deal with Rural Development.

County Administrator John Males said it depends on when the construction starts and how the financing is structured whether the county has to pay interest only or interest and principle up front.

If they use private financing, as the citizen committee recommended, the county will not have to put the issue to a vote, or pay principle up front, but would pay a higher interest rate.

Males also noted Rural Development, which is willing to assist the county, has the largest appropriation of loans ever for Michigan.

The commissioners met with representatives of the architectural firm from Fort Wayne, who presented drawings, figures and answered questions for two hours in the morning.

The architects suggested the first step is to take three or four preliminary soil borings.

“This will tell you what the dirt will support, how much weight per square foot. Then it will tell you how much a two or three story building will cost,” stated Principal Architect Richard Stump of Schenkel Shultz.

In October the architects presented one and two story plans for the proposed addition to the current facility and explained how the 160-bed housing pod could be expanded to serve 200 inmates. This would be in addition to the 29 dorm beds in the existing jail the sheriff plans to use for local work release prisoners in either plan. The architects emphasized the preliminary numbers were based on a conservative $250 per square foot estimates.

The current jail, part of which was built in the 1950s, has 119 beds.