Voters will have ample opportunities this month to learn more about Dent County’s two proposed half-cent sales taxes appearing on the April 4 ballot. Proposition 1, which has a 21-year sunset, is for the construction of a new 84-bed jail. Proposition 2 would be ongoing to fund the continuing operating costs of the new jail.
Two public forums on the issue are planned. They will be held 6 p.m.-8 p.m. March 16 and March 30. The forums will be held in the courtroom of the Dent County Judicial Building, 112 East Fifth Street. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles says he and fellow commissioners will be on hand for the events, as well as Architect Steve Davis of Shive-Hattery and bond underwriters with LJ Hart and Company of St. Louis.
“I encourage voters to attend one of these forums and learn more on the subject,” Skiles says. “We’ll keep working on how to get information out in the community.”
Skiles says information boards visually detailing the project are currently in place for public viewing at several area financial institutions, including The Bank of Salem, Town & Country Bank, US Bank, Progressive Ozark Bank and Riverways Federal Credit Union. Boards are also at the Salem Public Library, Southwest Baptist University and the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Brochures with information on the project are available at these locations as well as Salem MFA the county’s webpage at www.salemmo.com and thesalemnewsonline.com.
Sheriff Bob Wells says his office will also open its door for the public to tour the jail.
“Anyone who would like to tour the jail should call the sheriff’s office at 729-3241 to schedule an appointment between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesday evenings,” Wells says.
Residents not yet registered to vote will have to act quickly to have a say on the issue, as Wednesday is the last day to register to vote in order to cast a ballot in the April 4 election.
The estimated project cost for the jail is $11 million. This figure includes construction, professional fees, furniture, locks, security systems, cameras, door controls and detention equipment. County officials have stated that the two, half-cent sales taxes are dependent upon each other, so if one does not pass the other is instantly nullified.
The current jail, built in 1978, has space for 21 inmates. However, since 2007 the inmate population has steadily increased and currently had a daily average of more than 46 in 2016. As a result the county has had to find, use and pay other county jails to house inmates, which cost more than $100,000 in 2016. Additional costs for housing inmates outside of Dent County include gas, manpower and transportation expenses for court appearances.
Other than space, additional concerns with the current jail facility include inadequate monitoring of inmate activity, segregating inmates by offense classification and securing and monitoring individual cell doors. There is also a persistent mold problem which is attributed to overcrowding and the inability to regulate HVAC for each individual cell. The current design allows inmates to access lights and fixture wiring, which is a safety hazard. The jail is not handicap accessible and there are no sprinkler systems and venting for smoke evacuation.
County officials say this project is long overdue and that safety-security-liability protection needs have to be addressed. The jail project has been in development for more than 18 months. A new jail is the top priority, however, the ability to add law enforcement office space and a courtroom remain future components.
The commission voted unanimously Jan. 22 to put the two, half-cent sales taxes up for a vote, to repay leasehold revenue bonds. Sales tax funding means that nonresident visitors help pay for the new jail, since over 50 percent of the county sales tax revenue is generated from visitors to the county.
