ANDERSON – The Madison County Council on Tuesday voiced support for the process to complete a jail feasibility study.
“It’s appropriate for us to have some discussion on moving forward,” newly elected Council President Ben Gale said. “We need to consider funding so something can be done at the jail.”
Gale said the funding could be used to renovate the existing jail or for construction of a new facility.
“We’ve been kicking the can down the road,” Councilman Jerry Alexander said. “We can either spend a lot of money to bring the jail up to standards or build something new. It’s not wise to do nothing.”
Alexander said the council should allocate funding for a feasibility study.
Councilman Fred Reese said he was opposed to spending millions of dollars on a jail until the community determines the cause for the large number of incarcerations.
“There are people with mental issues that shouldn’t be in the jail,” Reese said. “People are in jail on minor charges. Madison County is becoming a cesspool. We’re getting all the people nobody else wants.”
He said county residents who are doing the right thing are not getting a fair share of the county’s tax dollars.
“We have to look for a different way,” Reese said. “How do we deal with the causes, then determine how big a jail to construct.”
Councilman Anthony Emery said the study is the first step toward knowing what the county needs in terms of a new jail.
“We need to determine the cost of a jail study,” he said. “There is a need for a secure detention facility to keep our community safe.
“We have been throwing Band-aids at the problem,” Emery said of the cost of maintaining the current facility. “It’s bleeding us dry.”
For more than a year, Madison County Sheriff Scott Mellinger has been urging county officials to begin the process of constructing a new jail.
A year ago Mellinger asked the county commissioners to begin a feasibility study, but action was delayed until a gift and ethics policy could be adopted. That policy was adopted by the commissioners in December, but rescinded in January when Darlene Likens replaced Mike Phipps.
Mellinger has indicated the county needs a jail with 500 beds at a cost of $50 million.
Mellinger said the current jail has critical infrastructure problems and the county is having to house inmates elsewhere.
“Social service improvements take 15 to 20 years,” he said. “We are doing more mental health evaluations.
“Right now we have an aging structure that is falling apart and there are not enough beds,” Mellinger said. “It will take a least one year to decide what the county needs and the cost.”
Councilman Mikeal Vaughn said Madison County has a drug problem and a plan is needed to help people.
“Are there grant funds available to deal with the drug problem?” he asked.
Mellinger said there is some federal funding available if a treatment center is constructed and connected to the jail.
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