A recent audit pointed out the need to spend the money or lower taxes. Commishes have held the line on taxes as noted by a Guardian friend who lives in the county. He stated his taxes did not go up this year when asked about this. Bottom line is the Sheriff will get a new jail addition to the existing Dale Haile Jail. It will be paid for without a bond election. The number of beds and other details are not known at this time.
The new jail addition will start construction some time after the new admin. building is completed and courtrooms constructed to accommodate new judges assigned to Canyon County. Sheriff Donahue can now quit whining about a new jail. That won't happen but he will get additional beds when the new addition to the existing jail is completed. The new jail addition will extend into the existing jail parking lot on the north side of Dale Haile Jail and extend outward toward Chicago St.
Oddly enough, this is the very plan put forth by former Sheriff George Nourse. Let's hope they also put a basement in this new structure so the jail has adequate storage needs that are in a secure area that was advocated by Nourse.
Also planned in all of this is to close the Nampa Court Annex building and bring all that back to the main courthouse. The Nampa Annex will be sold to the city of Nampa and turned into a parking lot if plans go according to what was related to the Guardian.
NOTE: I ran the afore mentioned blog post info past Comm. Steve Rule and he sent me an email that all of this is "conceptual" at this point in time and has not been formally discussed by the full BOCC. And as a conceptual deal all of it is subject to a lot more discussion by all the stakeholders.
Ready, Fire , Aim!
ReplyDeleteThe question in my mind is, if they managed the jail situation for the last few years, they why can't they continue to do so going forward. $12MM may sound like a cheap price for more beds but it is still a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteThey managed it because they had no choice. Don't worry, just keep cutting, eventually you will manage to close the whole jail like you want. After all everyone knows if you deprive any operation of funding long enough they will collapse. That seems to be what you are after. I would like to see any of you do that job for the amount they pay. You wouldn't. Yet you have the audacity to moan about the costs.
DeleteAnonymous:
DeleteNo. And not so fast!! Lay out some facts, don' just spout and blabber and babble!!!
Do you actually even have any facts and details????
Or, do you merely want your palm greased??*
Currently, they pay quite a bit to have inmates housed in other counties. What that figure is, annually, don't know
ReplyDeleteA few weeks back there was a feature piece in the IPT and I believe the figure four out of county jail bed space was costing about $65k/year.
DeleteThe jail isn't overcrowded, but vastly underutilized. There is too much coddling of the inmates. They have better treatment then a mentally ill person. Three meals, free medical, free dental, free eye care and yes free mental health via the taxpayers. Enough is Enough. Jail and Prison should be about rights violations, harsh, brutally harsh living conditions. Don't like it then don't break the law.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt the inmates violated someone rights, so fair is fair.
The American Soldier gets harsher living conditions in Afghanistan, or wherever they are based currently and the food is deplorable, there is poor medical (VA Stories) and even worse mental health services. These guys volunteered.
If would be even cheaper to "take these morons out back and shoot them on conviction" than to house their whiny a** in the whiny Sheriff's Jail. Not sure who whines louder, the inmate, the Sheriff or the County Commissioners. Although the inmate can get a whiny judge to agree to his sob story. So far the Sheriff cannot convince the voters to give him a new jail.
That's rich coming from someone who sits on such a high horse. Did you ever stop to think that some of those "morons", as you say, did NOT in fact violate ANYONE'S rights except their own? Tell me, Sir know it all on the High Horse, who's rights does a simple addict violate aside from their own rights?
DeleteOr better yet, let me as you this. Have you ever even as a minor, broke the lenin any way shape or form? Almost every citizen in this country breaks the law everyday. There's stupid laws that are so ridiculous through don't even know they exist u bet you break them everyday. Use your phone at all without handsfree while driving? Thats a misdemeanor, or a moving violation if the cops nice enough, for distracted driving. How about cheating on your spouse? Adultery is a felony. Or how about this....Have you ever eaten any food while your driving down the road? That's a crime in Idaho. You should go and spend sometime in the exact type of prison or jail tht you wish upon those that have served. And then come down off your high horse and join the rest of the normally functining society. Know your laws and facts before you go spouting garbage from that hole in your face. It makes you look like an ignorant prick.
Unless it's you, your kid, other family member or friend who ends up in jail, right? Do you have the same thoughts then? No, admit it, you don't. You are angry about having to spend money to house law breakers. I agree that sucks. Unfortunately for you there is a thing in this country called the United States Constitution which assures all citizens fair and equitable treatment at the hands of our government. The minute you start making exceptions is the minute you let your government start justifying the arbitrary suspension of citizen rights because they somehow deserve a harsher punishment than everyone else. Your idea doesn't sound like America at all. It sounds more like a Russian gulag. Try spending a few days in Canyon County and see if your tune doesn't change then. It's as harsh as possible allowed by law.
ReplyDeleteI AGREE WITH YOU.THAT PLACE IS NOT FIT FOR A DOG.JUST GOING THERE TO SEE MY SON MAKES MY SKIN CRAWL THE VISITATION ROOM IS FILTHY,BATHOOM DOOR WONT LOCK AND, IS ALSO FILTHY.MY SON SAYS UPSTAIRS IS JUST AS FILTHY.I,M TRYING RIGHT NOW TO JUST GET A BIBLE IN THERE TO MY SON AND, ITS LIKES BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING AND, HE STILL HAS NO BIBLE.I HATE THAT PLACE ITS SURE CHANGED IN THE PAST YRS .I REMEMBER WHEN YOU COULD TAKE THEM A TV,PAPER,CANDY,SHAMPOO EXT BUT THE COUNTY FOUND A WAY TO MAKE A HUGE PROFIT OUT OF IT THEIR WAY.BUY IT AT THE DOLLAR STORE AND,HIKE IT UP THREE TIMES HIGHER FOR THE INMATE.JUST LIKE THIS DAM VIDEO,PHONE CRAPE.THE FEES ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD AND THE HARDSHIP HERE IS ON THE FAMILY NOT THE INMATE.OUR LAW SYSTEM HAVE BECOME THIEFS.MAKING HUGE PROFITS FROM US.WE THE PEOPLE.YA THEY SCREAM NEW JAIL BUT, THATS NOT WHAT I SEE BEING BUILT DOWN THERE.A PARKING GARAGE COME ON GET REAL CCJ
Deleteccj is a big joke.its filthy and, they have become crooks with all these fees for every tranaction you make trying to leave a inmate some money on there books or phone calls.i,m trying to get a bible in there for my son and, there giving me every excuse in the book.i hate that place ive seen animal shelters cleaner than canyon county.they treat you like your the criminal there.ask them a question at the visitation and, not a one of them knows a thing.that place really needs a shake down.
Deletei keep entering a reply why is it not being posted here.
DeleteHi Rose, The jail will not accept anything from the outside due to contraband getting into the jail when they did this in the past. If you want your son to get a bible then have one of the religious organizations deliver one to him. Also, inmates have been able to order books via a retail book store through the commissary account system. If the jail is filthy, it is because the people running the place are not using inmate labor to keep it clean and the people who are running the units are not using inmate labor to keep it clean. Any place with more than a few people will become unclean if it is not maintained. I doubt the people running the place are making daily housekeeping inspections. At one point in time Jail Admin people made daily inspections and the county commissioners made monthly inspections. Last, the Jail had annual inspections for adherence to jail standards by the Sheriff's Association people.
DeleteIf you want your son to have certain items then put the cash necessary on his books to buy them. I can't recall any time that materials from the outside were allowed to be given to inmates by family or friends. Jail sucks and the best advice is to not end up there in the first place.
There is a certain amount of jail space that is appropriate to serve the needs of Canyon County and I am not certain what that number might be. I do object to grandiose plans to build a mega-oversized jail at Canyon taxpayer expense and then start leasing out jail space as a business model that puts the county in the business of jail space for hire.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think there needs to be a meeting of the minds on what sentencing is appropriate, be it community service, road clean up crew (SILD), weekend lock up, work release, and if incarceration in our jail is needed for retribution then how much time is appropriate. The Judges, Prosecutors and Sheriff should all play a role v. the Judges simply filling our jail without regard to the inherent costs involved is wrong and history says that is exactly what happens. In short, size 10 shoes approach to sentencing is wrong. Taxpayers need to be considered is all of this expansion and inherent operation and maintenance costs.
Finally, jail space should not be used to keep someone in jail well beyond the amount historical time a judge would sentence anyone. Jails are not prisons, and keeping people in jail waiting for their day in court for months on end simply because they are indigent and can't bond out prior to their court date seems wrong and comes at a very high cost to taxpayers.
Hi Rose, The reason you do not see your comments immediately posted is that I have found it necessary to moderate comments. I put up the rules for comments but a few people have posted comments that are either profane or spam. I try to get the comments up within 24 hours of submission but it may not always happen as I have other responsibilities. Hope this clears up why your comments took some time to get posted.
DeletePaul
Inmate labor is bullshit and should be considered a crime in itself. Yes, please, Let's take these american citizens off the street and hold them captive against their will and make them clean the building we hold them captive in for free all the while we pay these other assholes that don't give a shit about the hostages to keep them locked up and maintain the fake emblance of power we are exerting over these hostages. That's great. Thanks Captain America for paying the biggest assholes to exert power in holding our citizens hostage in a power struggle
DeleteDetention facilities must meet Dept. of Justice detention standards and minimum conditions of confinement. These conditions are as follows:
ReplyDelete1. Staff is on duty 24 hours a day to supervise prisoners
2. Three adequate meals a day are provided to prisoners
3. Adequate emergency medical coverage is available 24 hours a day
4. Adequate fire and other emergency plans and procedures are followed
5. There is adequate security
6. Adequate sanitation and hygiene services are available
7. An adequate suicide prevention policy is in place
8. There is adequate access to prescription drugs.
The Idaho Sheriff's Association, the county Sheriff's, and county Commissioners all seem to hide under a rock when they are inquired as to what they must do to meet these conditions. It currently costs the state $52.22/day to house an inmate (2010 figures) in the prisons and county jails throughout Idaho.
When the county expands the jail, the Sheriff must hire additional staff at $33,659.00/yr. (Source: http://www.canyonco.org/Elected-Officials/Commissioners/Departments/Human-Resources/Employment-Opportunities/Deputy.aspx) the taxpayers must incur these costs. Coincidentally Owyhee County is paying roughly $29,000/yr
There is no break down on other expenses, such as, lights, maintenance, office supplies (legal paper - forms), etc. According to the Idaho Dept. of Corrections website inmates work. They are paid below minimum wage and those in community work centers are required to pay for their housing at a paltry $4/day. Hardly makes a dent and there is still taxpayer burden.
In my research, when all the costs are added into the matrix of costs for incarceration, it costs nearly $100/day. Also, you left out the costs for benefit packages that typically run about 35% on top of stated wages. This covers, health insurance, vacation pay, sick leave, and PERSI retirement. Jails and prisons are very costly places to keep people and should be used as a last option, not the first option. To be sure, there are a certain number of people who are dangerous to society and need to be confined in a maximum security environment but that number is very small against the total number of people incarcerated.
DeleteI also object to jails and prisons used as places to put people who are mentally ill. Since 1986 when Pres. Reagan closed a lot of mental hospitals across the USA, jails and prisons are the only option. Close custody mental hospitals and institutions are a whole lot cheaper than jails and prisons.
Funny how you chose Owyhee County's pay scale to compare Canyon County to and not Ada County. Are you suggesting $33659 a year is too much? Canyon County deputies make less than Caldwell PD, Nampa PD, Meridian PD, Boise PD, Ada County S.O. and I.S.P. If you pay them any less they will be below Wilder and Parma PD next.
DeleteAnd you wonder why they struggle to keep deputies when everyone is hiring. Face it, CCSO provides the training, everyone else steals them away with higher wages and saves on the training costs. Yes by all means, pay them less so more will leave. That always works.
OK, I'll bite. How much are these so called valuable training costs we need to be so concerned about that justify the pay raises you seem to be angling for?
DeletePaul,
ReplyDeleteIf you have read the papers or watched the news today you should already know that John Bujak has more problems, and this indictment will have more teeth in it than the milquetoasted Canyon County indictment.
So, would you still have me believe that John Bujak and company, including many of the staff still at Canyon County, are lily white little altar boy saints?
Further, when will you and others acknowledge that there is a stink emanating from Canyon County, Nampa, and many of its official offices and public officials?
The question in my mind is: How much taxpayer money is going to be spent on this retribution effort? It has to be pushing half a million dollars and now this latest effort over a wrist watch and a ring! I am amazed at how unwilling the government forces can be in pursuing this matter. Bujak is old news and the latest effort will fill the columns of newsprint that will be used as birdcage liners when all is said and done.
DeleteOn the issue of the County... It has been disclosed to me the Sheriff is not on speaking terms with the Commissioners and won't attend meetings or return phone calls to the BOCC. A surefire way to get things done for taxpayers.
If the charges are proven, Bujak's creditors were defrauded by him!!!
ReplyDeleteFurther, where did the watch come from? Was it a bribe or payment for a legal fee, which was unreported income?
Paul, you are missing numerous critical issues. Are you sure you can be mayor??
At what point do you declare a "stop loss order" on Mr. Bujak? Prosecution efforts are rapidly approaching $500,000.00. He has become persona non grata, lost his reputation and is virtually shunned by the community at this point. Add to this prosecutors have yet to get a guilty plea in court by a jury of his peers. Spending scarce public tax dollars on this seems a waste.
DeleteI agree with Paul. The cost of the prosecution in this case is not worth the pound of flesh some are clamoring for. Kind of reminds me of the OJ Simpson case. You know he's guilty but you cant win at trial and have to settle for Civil case.
DeleteUuuuuuhhhh, wheres parking for the jail going to be if you build on top of the parking lot? Or is that "Conceptual" too? Just Curious.....
DeleteIt is a cost being born by the Feds, not Canyon County.
DeleteBankruptcy fraud is a serious and egregious matter!!!!!
It is not child's play!!!
It is not moot!!!!
Wake up!!!
You seem to be quite cavalier and naive about bankruptcy fraud and other corruption!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy so????
The US Attorney will make Bryan Taylor & Co. at CCPA look like the ignorant tubes that they are!!!
I will wager you Bujak will do time at Club Fed!!
I will also bet you others in Canyon and Nampa will be implicated!!
And now, the rest of the story.
DeleteHow has Canyon County possibly scraped by for over three years without the $70 Million plus jail that nearly every popo, including Augsburger, Bujak, and a host of others assured us was critical to our public safety????????????????????????????????????????
ReplyDeleteIt is also interesting to note the numbers of bookings into the jail have gone down by over 5,000/yr. since 2006/7. Having a finite amount of jail space is forcing law enforcement officers to use the statutory preferred method of "cite and release" v. booking people into jail. You know, presumed innocent until proven guilty outlined in the constitution. Presently, Judges, Prosecutors and the Sheriff have to allocate jail space, keeping those who are a threat to society behind bars.
DeleteAlso noted this week in the IDHAO REPORTS public tv wrap of the legislative week, there is a new found awareness of what it costs to keep people in prison by the Legislature. Idaho keeps non-violent offenders in prison twice as long on average as other states. We must have a higher level of "non-violent" people in our prison system we want to punish for a longer period of time at taxpayer expense.
At one point in time there was an offer on the table from the CCA people (who are now getting the boot) they would build a new state pen but the state would have to guarantee 90% full on all the beds in the new prison. Now that the State will be taking over CCA's job at the State pen costs of operation are a concern. How much retribution is enough is now getting some serious discussion by the Idaho Legislature.
This subject is complicated in that no one wants to pay the bill to incarcerate someone until their wife , family member or friend is killed by someone who has had several suspended sentences for DWI or they are assaulted by someone who cannot seem to conduct themselves in a civilized manner.Unfortunately some people just don't learn or refuse to abide by societies requirements and what other choice do we have but to remove them from society to protect the hard working law abiding citizens. My suggestion is to make living in jail a lot less pleasant than it is today. Perhaps some people would be less interested in spending time there and our cost would be much less for those who choose to.
ReplyDeleteNone of this deflection of blame for wrongdoing and criminal conduct and malfeasance justfies prosecution wrongfully of an innocent and law abiding citizen, and one with no record!!!!!!!!
DeleteBob,
Are you getting it just yet?????????
Paul,
ReplyDeleteExcellent insight and commentary!!!
The criminal justice system and penal systems are BIG business!!!!
If you do not believe that many, many people in Canyon County were doing backflips to get the $70 Million jail bond passed, you are particularly unaware and naive!!!!!
I am not naïve nor was I unaware of how "popular" the jail bond at the first effort was. I was part of a group of NAMED PLAINTIFFS who took the BOCC on in court for violation of the Idaho Constitution when they bought the Jerome property on the easy payment plan. The violation dealt with going around Art. 8, sec.,3 in buying the property without taxpayer assent. They went beyond one budget cycle and created a debt unauthorized by taxpayers. Here's a link to Koch v. Canyon County etal that started the ball rolling clear to the Idaho Supreme Court. The group of plaintiffs also worked to defeat the jail bond.
Deletehttp://caselaw.findlaw.com/id-supreme-court/1131429.html
Bob,
ReplyDeleteWhile I respect your position and concerns, Canyon County, Nampa, and so forth has severe issues in its criminal justice system, its prosecutors offices and practices and misconduct, its police forces, its public and official offices, and its court system and judiciary!!
It is high time to houseclean and get rid of and prosecute the offenders!!!!
Bujak is merely the tip of the iceberg!!!!
I would find it more believable if you were to list specific problems rather than vague accusations concerning local law enforcement
ReplyDeleteAn arrest without probable cause, whichis a criminal violation of my constitutional rights, wrongful prosecution, misconduct by Matthew Bever, Mayor Tom Dale only wanted to dodge, stonewall, and deny.
ReplyDeleteIt goes on, and on, and on, and on.
Charges dismissed after five months of delay, delay, delay, and stonewalling by Bever and Taylor.
Bob, do you perhaps begin to get the picture??
Racketeering suit is under consideration.
And further, are you even aware of the Federal crime of misprision???????
ReplyDeleteThe prosecutors in the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney's office may wish to apprise themselves of the Federal crime of misprision of felony, and other similar offenses.
ReplyDeleteDo you really expect me to believe that Bujak and Co. pulled this off all by himself??????????????
REALLY??????????????????????????????????
These people and others cannot just stick their heads in the sand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Further, professionals especially, and those trained in the law and bound by ethical considerations cannot merely turn a blind eye to criminal wrongdoing, unethical conduct, criminality, and so forth, and so on.........................................................................
Bujak was not the only one involved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And further, do some of you perhaps recall these facts from the Nampa prosecution contract and so forth:
ReplyDeleteMany of the staff in the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney's Office were given so-called "salary bumps" when the work for the Nampa misdemeanor contract was negotiated by Bujak, Mayor Tom Dale, the County Commissioners, and the Nampa City Councilmembers, among others, and signed off on by a host of "public officials", including Nampa Popo Chief Bill Augsburger.
For some giggles and chuckles, take a peak at the definition of "BRIBE" and "CORRUPTION" in the Idaho Code, and the codified prohibitions against such. If you fail to see a connection and similarity between a potential "BRIBE", "SALARY BUMPS", and such, I have some sand for you to stick your head in!!!!!!!!!!
Bob,
ReplyDeleteWhere did you disappear to? Or, do you happen to not feel comfortable with my assertions and so forth?
Or, do you perhaps mistakenly believe that Nampa and Canyon County "law enforcement" and other public officials are lily white and so forth?????
Bob,
ReplyDeleteFor you and others to educate yourselves and get up to speed, you may wish to consider reviewing John Bujak's BlogSpot if you have not already done so. Pretty interesting stuff on there!!!!!!!
Yet again I will ask if you have knowledge of criminal acts please provide names and facts to back up your accusations.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAll this begs the question why you haven't filed charges with the local law enforcement and have them disqualify themselves and move it up the ladder to the Attorney General for an investigation.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI am closing any further comments on this post.
ReplyDeletePaul