HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/19/2001 Special Meeting 343
CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
NOVEMBER 19, 2001 - 4:00 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS -129 NORTH 2 STREET
1. ROLL CALL
Present:
Council: Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett,
Henry Beauchamp, Lynn Buchanan (absent after 5:05 p.m.), Larry
Mattson, John Puccinelli, and Bernard Sims
Staff: City Manager Zais, City Attorney Paolella and City Clerk Roberts
• Also in attendance
Mayor Place acknowledged the presence of Yakima County staff members Ken
Ray, Lisa Freund, Craig Warner, Ron Zirkle and Sheriff Ken Irwin. Also present
were Aubrey Reeves, Mayor of Union Gap, and Ed Radder, Sunnyside Chief of
Police.
2. DISCUSSION OF JAIL SITING ISSUES
Mayor Place announced that Council Members Clarence Barnett and John
Puccinelli called this special meeting to discuss.jail siting issues.
Council Member Barnett stated that the reason he was interested in this meeting
was to fully understand the impact of the County jail issue, hoping the County
would give a briefing of their plans relating to the jail. Council Member Puccinelli
stated he attended a meeting with Mayor Place on the site selection and was
surprised to find out that the Committee was going to make that decision in
December. He was concerned that our Council had not had a meeting on this
and weren't aware of the impact. He wanted clarification on costs to the City and
the tax payers if the jail is moved to Sunnyside. This could have a tremendous
impact on the budgets for the City and County if the jail is in one place and the
court is in another.
I/ • Ken Ray provides information regarding the status of the proposed new
jail
Mr. Ray, Director of the County Jail, made the following points:
• The planning document has been in place since 1999
• The original jail will remain operational as a justice center
• The jail annex would remain as a detention center
• The plan calls for the courtrooms at the main jail to be moved
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NOVEMBER 19, 2001 — SPECIAL MEETING
• A study was performed indicating that a better designed facility would reduce
$500,000 from the jail operating costs and they could backfill with contracted
population to help pay off the facility. The study also recommended that they
build a restitution center, which has been done.
Mr. Ray responded to questions asked by the Council regarding funding of the
new jail, jail clientele, and the option of closing the main jail. They are in the
process of contracting with several West Side cities to provide jail space here for
them for the next five to seven years. They have calculated that the jail should be
paid for by the end of these initial contract periods. His thinking was that
eventually the main jail may be closed. Council Member Barnett asked if the jail
is relocated to Sunnyside, would the Court also be moved. Mr. Ray responded
that that would be a decision of the Court, however, he thought it would be
beneficial if the court were located near the jail. Whatever decision is made, he
commented that prisoners would have to be transported up and down the valley.
Council Member Puccinelli remarked that prisoners would have to be transported
to Yakima for social and medical services. He also asked about the daily rate
calculation. Mr. Ray said he could not speculate on the daily rate, but responded
that Sunnyside has some social services and a hospital available.
Council Member Sims asked Mr. Ray to comment on how they came to a
decision to put an additional jail in Yakima without any citizen participation.
Mr. Ray disagreed with Mr. Sims' assessment, stating a decision has not been
made. He said that the Committee is being asked to make a recommendation to
the County Commissioners. Council Member Sims questioned the need to build
a second detention facility. .Mr. Ray provided several reasons, including the fact
that a differently designed jail would reduce the number of corrections officers
needed and, thus, reduce operating costs. Council Member Buchanan
interjected that whether to build a new jail, and where, is a County issue and
decision.
Responding to Council Member Puccinelli's query about the added cost to the
City to transport prisoners to Sunnyside, CouncilMember Buchanan recited from
Chief Blesio's report-that it could cost the City $750,000 a year.
Mr. Ray spoke about the possibility of using the old Safeway store site off Lincoln
Avenue, which would be close to needed facilities and medical and social
services. Sunnyside and Toppenish asked to present a proposal to locate the
new jail in their respective communities. Another option he mentioned would be
to operate two intake centers. He volunteered that they looked at the addresses
of their clientele and the majority resided in the upper valley. Council Member
Mattson stated his preference would be to locate a new jail in the periphery of the
urban area, e.g. Terrace Heights or in the West Valley area.
A discussion ensued regarding the proposed contracts with the West Side cities,
the services available to the inmates, the architectural facade of the facility to
make it more attractive to the neighborhood, and ended with an invitation to tour
the County's existing facilities.
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NOVEMBER 19, 2001 SPECIAL MEETING
• Police Department cost estimate is discussed
Police Chief Blesio, Captain Bronson, Sergeant Rod Light, and John Campos,
Corrections Administrative Specialist, responded to Council's questions and
provided information about the impact relocating the facility to Sunnyside could
have on the Department's budget if there were no booking facility in Yakima.
Transporting prisoners would require additional equipment and personnel, and in
addition, it would require a facility to hold the prisoners between the court
appearance and transportation back to Sunnyside. The worst -case estimated
$750,000 in costs does not include the transportation costs for detectives to
travel to Sunnyside to meet with a prisoner. The issue of providing for female
prisoners would also have to be addressed, as holding cells and restrooms would
have to be provided.
• Citizen gives her opinion
Barb Gilbert, County resident, addressed her concerns about the financial aspect
of this project. Mr. Warner provided Ms. Gilbert with some figures and assured
her that they would not do this if it were going to cost the County money. It is
penciled out that the communities contracting for services would pay for the jail.
• Conclusion
BARNETT MOVED AND PUCCINELLI SECONDED TO TELL THE DECIDING
COMMITTEE THAT WE SUPPORT THE LOCATION OF A NEW JAIL IN THE
CITY OF YAKIMA. Following further comments, it was the consensus of the
Council to delay the vote until after the meeting being held tomorrow. The
motion was withdrawn.
3. ADJOURNMENT
BEAUCHAMP MOVED AND PUCCINELLI SECONDED TO ADJOURN THE
MEETING AT 5:52 P.M. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: AL
CO CIL ME' =ER DATE
NCIL MEMBER DATE
ATTEST:
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4.y
CITY CLERK MARY PLACE, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins and Karen Roberts. An audio and video tape of this meeting are
available in the City Clerk's Office
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