Monday's Internet Edition, March 15, 2010.
Is it more cost-effective to build permanent solution?
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The situation is so desperate that the judge and Pct. 4 Commissioner Romeo Lomas, who are at opposite ends of the fence on almost all issues, have agreed to work together to come up with a solution that has the least amount of financial impact to taxpayers but still meets stringent requirements of the jail commission.
De La Garza said he asked Lomas to look into ways of extending the current bonds that financed construction of the law enforcement center in order to fund an expansion program. The bonds will be paid in full by the end of next year.
In the long-run, residents may have to forego plans to renovated parks and build new ones throughout Kleberg County in favor of constructing more jail cells at the law enforcement center.
Former Kleberg County Sheriff Adan Munoz Jr., who is now executive director of the jail commission, said that a proposal for temporary buildings submitted Sept. 4 by the county’s maintenance supervisor, Armando Salazar, has not been approved for construction.
“In order to ensure that all areas of concern facing Kleberg County are addressed before you embark upon the design and construction of the project, I have attached a list of items that require a response in accordance with minimum jai standards,” Munoz wrote in his letter that was addressed to the county judge and Kleberg County Sheriff Ed Mata.
The judge said the rules and requirements for constructing and operating temporary buildings are so stringent, that it might be more cost-effective to add a permanent structure to the existing jail after factoring in the cost of additional manpower needed for the additional jail cells, temporary or permanent.
The Kleberg County Commissioners Court had hoped to spend about $300,000 for construction of temporary buildings to head off jail overcrowding.
Taking advantage of Salazar’s background and expertise in construction, the county felt it could save money on a “do-it-yourself” plan.
The county jail is at capacity, and once 110 inmates are housed there at any given time, the additional prisoners must be transferred to surrounding county jails where vacancies exist and at a greater cost than housing prisoners in the Kleberg County jail.
Temporary buildings may only be used for three years, according to the jail commission, and after meeting certification requirements and getting the stamp of a approval from certified architects and engineers for temporary buildings, the judge said it might be just as cheap to build a permanent structure.
Earlier this summer the judge said he wanted to ask the covers to approve another bond issue for parks once the jail bonds were retired because it could be done without raising taxes any hire than they are now for bonds.
The judge said he’s unsure if existing bonds can be extended without voter approval, and he is anxious to find out what Commissioner Lomas has learned about the issue.