STATE OF OUR
CHAMPAIGN
COUNTY JAIL
A CRISIS IN THE MAKING
URBAN LEGEND #1 - THERE IS NO APPROVED PROPOSAL FOR THE JAIL ISSUES (FACILITIES NOR PROGRAMS)
URBAN LEGEND #2 - THERE IS NO $47 MILLION DOLLAR PRICE TAG, OR ANY OTHER AMOUNT, BEING CONSIDERED BECAUSE THERE IS NO APPROVED PROPOSAL
URBAN LEGEND #3 - IN 2014 THERE WAS A REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION BY AN OUTSIDE FIRM THAT WAS NOT APPROVED
The Jail Issues are in the hands of the current County Board's Facilities Committee. Once they finalize their report, which will include the design needs and costs associated, they will pass their report on to the County Board of the Whole (C.O.W.)--all 24 Champaign County Board members. The Board will then discuss and vote on the committees recommended budget. Based on the amount the Facilities Committee has determined, it will be up to the full board to decide to either bond out--difficult because the county does not have enough collateral to cover any more bonds having yet to repay those given for the Nursing Home, which our county is still paying off and our citizens are still paying taxes for--OR---alternatively consider a levy or raise sales tax by 0.25% (25 cents) or property tax or a combination tax. Whatever funding source is decided by the Board, it will be put to the voters to make the final decision to approve or not. This will also include a sunset which means any monies collected through taxes or levy will end when the project is completed and the debt for the project is repaid.
As time rolls forward, the disrepair to the Downtown Jail is growing deeper into Federal and State violations and if a decision is not made soon, the decision will be taken away from the County and determined by the Federal and State agencies. Our County is now facing Federal and State violations by the American Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding violations for non-compliance. The building has been cited as unsafe for the prisoners and officers.
Additionally, the County is still paying law suits from the nursing home as the Downtown Jail's suits have continued to burden taxpayers as a result--with no end in sight as long as it remains in disrepair. Until then, it not only is the Board's responsibility to pay for any and all legal problems associated with those issues, but our County's money heavily relies on taxpayer dollars.
To find out what the current discussions regarding a jail proposal are, you may contact the
Champaign County Board's Facilities Committee.
County Board Facilities Committee (January 2019 - current)
Stan Harper, (Chair) R stancharper@gmail.com
Steve Summers, (Vice Chair) D ssummers@co.champaign.il.us
Leah Taylor - D leahtaylor100@gmail.com
Mike Ingram - D mikeingramccb@gmail.com
James Tinsley -D jbtinsley3@gmail.com
Charles Young - D charlestonyyoung1@gmail.com
Jodi Wolken -R jwolken4@aol.com
Jon Rector - R jwrector@gmail.com
2014 Initial Review of the Jail Issue
(excerpt-full report available upon request from the County Executive, Darlene Kloeppel)
2014 CHAMPAIGN COUNTY BOARD FACILITIES COMMITTEE
Gary Maxwell , (Chair) R
Giraldo Rosales, (Vice-Chair) D
Jack Anderson, R
Josh Hartke, D
Jeff Kibler, R
James Quisenberry, D
Rachel Schwartz, D
SHERIFF’S OPERATIONS MASTER PLAN WORKING GROUP
Dan Walsh, Sheriff
Allen Jones, Chief Deputy
Shane Cook, Captain, former Jail Administrator
Karee Voges, Captain, Jail Administrator
Debra Busey, County Administrator
Van Anderson, Administrative Services
Dana Brenner, Physical Plant
SHERIFF’S PLANNING TEAM
Dan Walsh, Sheriff
Allen Jones, Chief Deputy
Shane Cook, Captain, former Jail Administrator
Karee Voges, Captain, Jail Administrator
Robert Cravens, Lieutenant
Jenna Thode, Lieutenant, Classification
Nadia Berger, Mental Health
Sue Swain, Nurse
PREFACE
This project was initiated by Champaign County’s April 17, 2014 Request for Qualifications for “Sheriff's Operations Master Planning”.
The county was seeking assistance in:
"determining the needs, exploring the options, and the approximate costs associated with the facilities housing the Sheriff's law enforcement and jail operations and support programs provided to inmates including, but not necessarily limited to, the facilities needs for prisoners; personnel; training space; records and other storage; secure evidence storage; and parking needs for the public, employees, and Sheriff’s vehicles."
The county's stated goal for the project was to:
"develop a facility Master Plan that will accommodate current and future operations, jail, and program needs and that will provide the estimated costs associated with the actions recommended by the master plan."
The county's required Scope of Services were stated to be as follows:
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Determining number of beds and optimal configuration (considering classification issues, existing structure and personnel needs) for normal housing units.
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Determining number of beds, specific cell design and optimal configuration of housing for those with significant medical and/or mental health issues and adjacency issues with professional services needed or offered to those individuals. (Negative pressure and contagion issues need to be included in the medical needs.)
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Determining space needs and configuration for office type functions of the Sheriff law enforcement and jail operations including personnel, training space, records and other storage, secure evidence storage, and parking needs for the public, employees and Sheriff’s vehicles.
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Determining space needs and configuration for programs offered to inmates, including office space for both professionals employed by or contracted with the Sheriff and those outside agencies that engage with the Sheriff to provide services to the inmates. (This should also include an analysis of the kitchen and laundry needs.)
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Determining optimal design of book-in/ intake area.
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Providing future projections as to various populations and needs, if requested.
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Provide very rough sketches and possible costs and engage in discussions as to options with the Sheriff and County to refine ideas and options so that the Sheriff and County can make informed decisions to give guidance as to what options should be included in #8 and #9 below.
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Providing diagrams and schematic drawings (conceptual plans) and discussion as to possible design options of the facility, including recommendations and specific design options for the special needs housing. (All discussions should also include issues of necessary redundancies, serviceability, flexibility of the design to adapt to changing facility needs over time, and disaster/emergency operation & evacuation. Appropriate fencing-secure areas for evacuation should be included.)
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Provide building cost estimates for the various design options.
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Provide estimates as to operational costs, including personnel needs, as to the various design options.