Agenda - 11-17-2015 - 6a - Minutes

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16 1 out a large classroom area as well, which could be used for clergy visits, GED, ESL classes, 2 etc. 3 Commissioner Pelissier asked if operational costs for the proposed options could be 4 provided in order to compare and contrast them. 5 Jeff Thompson said this information could be provided to the Board at a November 6 meeting. 7 Commissioner Jacobs said the Jail Alternatives group talked about other functions in the 8 jail that could address the mental health and job training needs of the inmates. 9 Sheriff Blackwood said this has been discussed. He said now that the newly hired Jail 10 Alternatives Coordinator is on board, these programs can be fleshed out in greater detail. He 11 said option B is favored as it supports addressing these very needs more effectively. 12 Commissioner Jacobs asked if option B is similar to the jail toured in Chatham County. 13 Sheriff Blackwood said the Chatham County jail is a blend of options A and B, and that 14 particular design was far more expensive than what is being proposed in Orange County. 15 Dan Mace said if rear chases can be double loaded and back-to-back, they are far more 16 efficient. He said option B would allow for easier expansion of the jail in the future. 17 Commissioner Jacobs said the chase design reminds him of an older urban street 18 design with alleys behind the houses where everyone places their garbage rather than in front 19 of the house. He said garbage trucks could go down the alley and are able to gather the 20 garbage from two rows of house instead of just one. 21 Dan Mace said this is exactly the benefit of rear chases. He said this design also allows 22 for greater amounts of natural light which positively affects inmate behavior. 23 Commissioner Jacobs said natural lighting is better. 24 Dan Mace said a more normative environment conveys a rule of order and has a 25 positive impact on the detainees. 26 Commissioner Jacobs referred to the vacated jail site saying it is a 90-year old historic 27 facility. He said he hoped a simple use for it could be found. 28 Commissioner Dorosin asked if the two drawings are at the same scale as option B 29 looked like a larger footprint. 30 Dan Mace said option B is about 3,000 square feet more of a footprint. He said it will 31 take up more surface area for the same bed count but also allows for more multi-purpose 32 rooms. He said the decentralized smaller control rooms also add to the square footage. He 33 reiterated that having a single level allows for easier future expansion. 34 Commissioner Dorosin clarified that the drawings are accurate and option B is a larger 35 footprint. He said option B is more expensive and asked if that is relatively comparable per 36 square foot with option A. 37 Dan Mace said option B is less per square foot to construct than option A; however, as 38 option B is 3,000 square feet larger than option A, it is more expensive overall. 39 Commissioner Dorosin said option B has more amenities and asked if there is a case to 40 be made for option A. 41 Dan Mace said the biggest plus of option A is for staff to have one large control room 42 versus multiple decentralized control rooms. 43 Commissioner Rich asked if Dan Mace could explain how much more space there is for 44 future build out. 45 Dan Mace said at least 100 beds could easily be added with either option and doing so 46 appeared to be more cost effective with option B. 47 Commissioner Rich asked if there are specific reasons that would force jail expansion. 48 Sheriff Blackwood said a 50 to 60 year facility is being considered. He said it is his hope 49 that this facility would not need to be expanded but rather alternatives programs will limit