By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The Wood County jail no longer meets the demands of today’s inmates – with a growing number of female prisoners, more medical problems, and a need for drug programs.
On Thursday, two jail design firms presented their proposals to the Wood County Commissioners, Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn, and Captain Rebecca McMonigal from the jail.
Among the top concerns was the potential need for additional jail staffing with the expansion, the cost of the expansion, and the ability for the jail to continue functioning fully during construction.
Thursday’s discussion was not to get actual bids from the firms, but rather to learn how much experience they have on the very specialized requirements of designing jails.
Both firms – K2M and Wachtel & McAnally – have designed several new jails and additions to existing jails.
“The challenge for the entire project is maintaining the functions of the jail during the project,” Wasylyshyn said.
Both firms promised to not halt current jail functions while building renovations and expansions are completed.
“It may take a little bit longer, but it will keep you guys operational,” Scott Ross, from K2M, said.
“This is what we do,” he said.
“The key is keeping the original building operational,” said Garry McAnally, from the other firm. “It costs a lot to house inmates out of the county – as you know.”
When Wasylyshyn took over as sheriff in 2005, the county was spending about $500,000 a year housing local inmates in other jails because Wood County didn’t have enough room.
The estimated cost to expand and fix all the issues at the jail at that point was set at $25 million – more than the county could cover. So Wasylyshyn proposed a more modest expansion that took care of the need to ship prisoners elsewhere.
“Let’s plug the hole and stop sending $500,000 to other counties,” he recalled saying.
Safety issues were addressed and extra space was added.
“It did better than stop the money going out,” Wasylyshyn said. It resulted in a lot of money coming in.
In 2018, the jail took in $400,000 from other counties needing space to house their inmates – for $65 a day. Some came from as far as Jackson County, which is four hours away. That revenue could help pay off the bill for the expansion, the sheriff has pointed out.
But for now, the Wood County jail is turning away females if they require secure housing.
The county jail, located on East Gypsy Lane Road, currently has the capacity to hold 220 inmates. The average there on any given day is 165.
But the number of female inmates continues to increase. The jail can currently house 56 females. The proposed expansions could create a larger area for women, and flexible swing units that could be used by either gender.
Currently, some females sleep on cots at the jail. Housing inmates on cots does not allow options to separate them in cases of mental health issues, medical needs, personality conflicts or if inmates are co-defendants in the same case. Use of cots is frowned upon by authorities who inspect the facility.
The possible price tags presented last year for the project went nearly as high as $20 million for the additional housing, plus $9.6 million for a new intake area and new medical area in the jail.
The changes would allow the jail to meet the requirements of the Prison Rape Elimination Act.
While the expansions add housing flexibility, both design firms said no additional staff would be needed, since master control areas are designed in the housing pods, with line of sight to every inmate area.
The design firms’ presentations differed in that one focused more on inmate rehabilitation, and the other more on meeting the basic jail requirements.
Scott Maloney, of K2M, said his company designs jails with rehabilitation, safety and support in mind.
“We understand it’s about incarceration,” Maloney said. “But we want to make it as positive an environment as we can.”
The K2M jail plans often create spaces for treatment programs and to address recidivism. The women’s facilities the firm has worked on in the past take into consideration spaces for socialization and visits from family members.
Rather than dormitory-like lodging, K2M often designs clusters of four to eight beds.
McAnally stressed his company’s efforts to meet state standards.
“We’ve developed a very economical building,” he said. The focus is on minimizing inmate movement, with indoor recreation, meals brought into the pods, and video visitation.
“We put in what’s necessary. We don’t go overboard,” McAnally said.
The county commissioners will study the proposals, and make a decision in a couple weeks on which designer to hire. Then the project will be put out for bids.
