Q: Will the current Detention Center remain on site while the new facility is constructed?
A: Yes. Until the new facility is constructed and operational, the old facility will remain on site. The old Detention Center will then be demolished, removed, and recycled when possible.
Q: Are food services in the new facility necessary?
A: Yes. The costs of outsourcing meals for the current facility are $18 day/per inmate as opposed to the projected cost of less than $6 day/inmate with an internal Detention Center meal facility. (Savings of more than $1,000 per day/per 100 inmates.)
Q: Is it more cost effective to house inmates in other counties than it is to build and operate a larger facility?
A: The current budget to transport and house inmates in other facilities costs the taxpayers just over half the annual operational budget.
A: This does not take into account the 300+ defendants on pre-trial supervision.
A: Deputies and Officers currently only take arrestees to the Detention Center as a last resort due to capacity issues.
A: Municipal and Justice Court Judges often take into account the current Detention Center situation when sentencing defendants.
Q: Does the current proposal include future expansions?
A: Yes, two expansions are proposed to the north of the new facility. The initial facility is also expandable from 160 "beds" to 200 "beds" without additional construction.
Q: How will increased costs for Personnel & Maintenance/Operational expenses be paid?
A: Calculations show that an increase of 28 personnel positions, costing ($1,234,000) and Maintenance/Operational costs by $230,275. These costs will be paid from new "taxable value" taxes set aside in FY07, FY08, FY09 and FY10 ($1,500,000). In addition, costs will decrease for out-of-county detention, resulting in dollars available for new operational costs ($440,000 FY 2008).
Q: Why not continue using facilities in other counties?
A: When Deputies/Officers are on transport, this shortens the manpower available in the community and other duties often get postponed or neglected. Also, when our inmates are in other facilities, we have no control over them - the classification they are given within that facility, the privileges or consequences given to them for their behavior, or any other treatment issues. Gallatin County remains responsible for inmate safety while having no ability to ensure it. The boarding of inmates in other counties does not include medical expenses and Gallatin County doesn't have the final say on what type of medical inmates receive. There is also no guarantee that beds will always be available and at what rate they will be available. In addition, Gallatin County has just been notified that the primary outside
facility (Broadwater County) is planning to raise the daily rate. The existing jail will eventually be unusable, requiring all 70+ inmates to be housed out-of-county and incur the cost of inmate housing, transport, and medical expenses. Also, Gallatin County has approximately 300 individuals on pre-trial supervision that could re-offend or break release conditions, requiring the inmate be remanded to the jail until sentenced. Without jail beds available as a motivator for these individuals to adhere to the release conditions, it is difficult to fully take advantage of the benefits of the pre-trial program while also keeping this community safe.
Q: Flat roof: Why is the flat roof a good idea and why/how will it work?
A: The specified single-ply EPDM membrane roofing is the largest market share product for roof covering of large architectural buildings and has an established track record for longevity and durability. Properly installed, the roof is very cost effective. The roof will have gentle slopes to drain as mandated by the building codes. Use of materials for steeper slope roofs (metal panels, asphalt shingles, etc.) require substantial structural elements to support the roofs. Our initial cost evaluations deem that long span, shallow slopes are the most cost effective approach to design of the building and roof structure.
Q: Are we building a high-end or low-end facility?
A: Neither. We are building a jail. The new jail is a Spartan structure, consisting of large expanses of unadorned concrete walls, ceilings, and floors. It is designed for efficient and cost-effective staffing and operation, while at the same time, provide staff with a safe environment to conduct their work. All items in this jail have been carefully evaluated and are essential to meet the prescribed requirements of the Montana Jail Standards, the standards of the American Correctional Association, and the Pre-Architectural Program as developed by the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office. These standards help mitigate future grievances and lawsuits, saving taxpayers money. The building is designed to provide sufficient safe space for inmates to live, eat, and receive counseling and other services that will assist
in reducing the percentage of recidivism. The planned facility will relieve the current over-crowded and substandard conditions in the existing jail, and anticipates the continued growth of Gallatin County through 2045.
Q: Why do the inmates need/get TV?
A: Television is a tool for officers to help keep inmates in line. There is one TV per dayroom and if one inmate misbehaves, the entire block loses the privilege. We have also worked with Bresnan and restricted the channels they are allowed to see. There is no HBO, Showtime, MTV, Court TV, Fox, Spike, and absolutely no child channels.
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