A 36-year-old jail faces closure in Yellville, and Marion County prisoners will have to be housed elsewhere unless voters favor two tax issues Tuesday to fund a new county jail, proponents for the measure say.
But opponents say the proposed tax wouldn't raise enough to keep the new 94-bed jail operational and would still financially burden the county.
Voters will decide on a 0.75 percent countywide sales tax that would pay to construct the $9.5 million jail, as well as a 0.25 percent sales tax that would fund its maintenance and operations.
The jail faces a state-ordered closure after an Oct. 20 inspection by the state Criminal Detention Facilities Review Committee found a "number of serious and critical issues," committee review coordinator Sterling Penix wrote in a letter to the county.
The committee found that the jail had issues with plumbing and flooding, along with mold. A back door at the jail fell off its hinges during the inspection, and a bed fixture that was secured to a crumbling wall also fell. Several cell windows were cracked, inmates were not separated properly, and the facility lacked fire and emergency response equipment, Penix noted in the review.
"We have to have a new jail," Marion County Judge Terry Ott said. "The cost of transferring prisoners [to other jails] is insurmountable."
Marion County sheriff's Deputy Joe Batterton, who works in the jail, said it often remains at capacity with 18 prisoners daily. He said the jail has one dispatcher who doubles as a jailer, which creates a safety issue.
The 0.75 percent tax would be suspended once the jail is paid for, Ott said.
Ott said the 0.25 percent tax, if passed, will raise about $250,000 yearly for the facility's operations.
That's not enough, said William Stahlman, a Marion County justice of the peace who opposes the tax.
"Our present [18-bed] jail costs $450,000 to maintain," said Stahlman, who is running against Ott for county judge. "It will cost $750,000 to run the new jail. The tax will raise $250,000. Where will we get the other money?
"I know we need a facility, but let's be realistic," he added. "Let's not put a hardship on the county and overload our budget."
Stahlman said he thought the county could afford a smaller jail of about 30 beds that would meet standards and cut costs.
"We can't afford a Ferrari when we have a budget that can only afford a Volkswagen," Stahlman said. "If we are reasonable and frugal, we can fix our problems."
Penix said the jail has been placed on probation until May 20, when the committee will review county officials' progress on meeting standards. If the taxes pass, the committee will probably continue the probation, Penix said. If the taxes are not passed, Penix said the committee is likely to mandate that the Marion County jail be closed.
Ott said that if the taxes are favored, construction could be completed on the jail within 18 months.
Ott said it could cost up to $700,000 annually to transport 20 prisoners daily to other jails either in neighboring Boone and Baxter counties, or farther to Washington, Sebastian or Crittenden counties.
"Ten years later, that would have cost us a total of $7 million, not counting the cost of deputies transporting them and wear on vehicles," Ott said. "Seven million and we wouldn't even own a toothpick."
As of Thursday, 1,016 people had cast ballots in early voting, which is average for a primary election, a Marion County deputy clerk said.
Several counties around the state have successfully sought sales taxes to help fund new jails over the years.
"I think voters see the consequences of having jails close," said Ronnie Baldwin, president of the Arkansas Sheriffs' Association. "They know it would be devastating to those counties."
"Jail standards are more stringent," he added. "You can only put so much lipstick on a pig before you need to build a new jail. Standards in 1979 are not the same standards today."
Ott said the county is at the mercy of the voters.
"We've done all we can," he said. "It's up to them."
State Desk on 02/28/2016