A new jail will cost between $51MM and $76MM. Ratliff’s opponent, Gary Cutler, said he would favor a refurbishment of the jail at a little over $33MM. These figures came from Broadus & Assoc. Ratliff is on record favoring the “green field” option – going to a completely new site and building a new jail for $51-$76MM.
Clearly, the most efficient option is refurbishment. Refurbishing the jail will add 96 beds – what it would take to get us through the next 10 years. Included would be a complete renovation of the existing structure. Also included would be expansion of the Law Enforcement Center.
Contrary to what Haverda said about Cutler bringing in a “whole new staff”, I was at the FOP debate when Cutler said “if I am elected all Sheriff’s Dept. employees’ jobs are secure.”
Since 2000 the jail only failed inspection once and that was for overcrowding – not maintenance. The jail has failed inspections 3 times since Ratliff took office – all for maintenance reasons. Go figure.
Sheriff Bridges was aware we had an old jail and had discussed the possibility of a refurbished jail “at some point” and he did what any good administrator does and tried to get as much mileage out of the existing jail as possible until the climate was conducive for a major upgrade.
Ratliff and Haverda say “we need a new jail because this one has lived out its life.” So maybe Ratliff thought he could convince the Commissioners to give him a new jail if the current one failed several inspections. Fortunately, the Commissioners forced Ratliff to do his job and get the jail up to speed, which he finally did WITHOUT the millions of dollars Haverda said it would take.
It’s interesting to me that the jail failed to pass inspection 3 times under Ratliff in his first year and a half on the job, and then passed this year just prior to the election.
Mary Clarkson
Dripping Springs
