Article published May 4, 2008

Jail talks switch from overall cost to number of beds

Looks for largest capacity from $47 million expansion

By Jason Spencer

Faced with the very real likelihood of having to take on an enormous debt to alleviate the persistent problem of jail overcrowding, some Spartanburg County Council members have become resigned to the high price and are now looking at how to get the most bang for their buck.

That's despite the fact that the cost of expanding the jail will push the county close to its legal debt limit.

But the question has moved from whether to spend, at most, $47 million to expand the Spartanburg County Detention Center - up from an estimated $32.4 million a few months ago - to how much jail can be bought for $47 million.

Different studies and proposals over the past few months have gone from increasing the capacity of the county jail from 586 to 966 to now 1,136. But even with the expanded capacity - the jail has already seen more than 1,000 inmates five times since last summer - estimates of future jail population show that the new facility will be near or at capacity when it's complete.

Jail Director Larry Powers has said he needs at least 1,500 beds to keep up with the flow of inmates over the next decade. Any solution that comes up with less space than that would be a temporary solution, he says.

On Thursday, things started to look less temporary.

"I really think we need to be looking at 1,500 beds," Councilman David Britt said. "We need to be challenging staff, and our consultant, and Larry, and say, 'Let's see how we can get 1,500 beds out of $47 million.' "

Different ideas at lowering the number of inmates were tossed around, including expanding the home detention program. Audible gasps then filled the council chamber when Powers pointed out that five people currently in the home detention program have been charged with murder. Others have been charged with kidnapping and other violent crimes.

Councilman Dale Culbreth said he wants to know more about modular buildings as part of a potential solution. Powers and others have said in the past that those buildings don't stand up to wear-and-tear, and that maintenance and replacement costs make them undesirable.

Chairman Jeff Horton pointed out that if the county doesn't figure out a way to add more space to the jail, then the state Department of Corrections will tell them how to do it and leave the county holding the bill.

"I think we agree that brick-and-mortar buildings are needed for the long term, but we could look at modular or other options, maybe for overflow or for a full moon on a Friday or Saturday night," Horton said.

Councilman O'Neal Mintz brought up making jail expansion a referendum. It's an idea that's been advocated by Solicitor Trey Gowdy, who in the past headed a committee to determine how to combat jail overcrowding.

It didn't sit well with Horton and Britt.

"We're elected to make decisions," Horton said. "And if the public doesn't like the decisions we make, they vote us out of office." Britt added that it would take "a PowerPoint presentation at the Wofford College stadium" to make people understand the need for more jail space.

Staff to look at numbers

Administrators were directed to come back with ideas on how to squeeze more beds out of $47 million at the regular county council meeting later this month. The likelihood of that is questionable, though, as a consultant has already drawn up a $47 million option, and if he had been able to fit more beds in for that amount of money, he probably would have.

Issuing a bond to cover jail expansion could push Spartanburg County to 93 percent of its maximum legally allowed debt, which would be slightly more than $80 million in 2009.

After 2009, the debt would begin a steady decline because payments on past debt would be complete, or "rolled off," Assistant County Administrator Tom Gates said.

Debt that will roll off next year includes money that paid for the Spartanburg County Headquarters Library.

The 93 percent estimate is a worst-case scenario, he said, and shouldn't put the county in any sort of financial turmoil.