- As Election Day approaches, the debate on the Jackson County jail millage moves into new territory.
- A 0.9 millage is on the August 6 ballot to fund improvements to county jails and their operation, including a new building at the Chanter Road facility.
- Video shows incumbent Jackson County Sheriff Gary Schuette explaining the reasoning and plans behind the proposal, and challenger Scott Aughney commenting on his presentation.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
As the August 6th election approaches, the debate on a Jackson County millage to fund jail improvements continues.
"What you see here is a new jail. So this is all kind of an addition onto Chanter Road. And this seemed to be the most cost-effective way of doing it," says Jackson County Sheriff Gary Schuette, speaking at a Jackson Chamber of Commerce event Monday — part of an informational campaign explaining the need for a new jail and how the Chanter Road facility would look after proposed improvements.
County officials are on record urging the public to approve the millage. It would fund both the construction of a new building to replace the Wesley Street jail, and ongoing operations.
One goal, says Schuette, is to increase the number of multi-classification beds -- to provide more flexibility for holding different types of inmates.
As for funding sources, Schuette says he and the County Commission looked for alternatives like the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA funding:
"There are so many strings attached that it just didn't work out for us."
According to Schuette, some ARPA funding was suitable for the previous millage, which failed.
"We tried that initially in 2022," he says. "There was some money that was going to qualify for that plan. However, this is a completely different plan and, frankly, the money has run out now."
Schuette says if the Chanter Road facility is expanded, only his administrative office would remain here on Wesley Street. Most of this building would be empty and "mothballed".
Scott Aughney, who attended the meeting and is running against Schuette for sheriff, thinks that is unlikely.
"Is this really in the vision of the County and the Sheriff to basically occupy a little portion and do nothing with the rest of it?" he asks.
Aughney thinks there may be another reason for the desire to move the jail: "It would seem to me that, again, the goal would be to possibly redevelop that property."
Aughney has suggested that the Wesley Street facility could be maintained. County officials say while the facility has not failed any inspections, repairs and maintenance are becoming economically unfeasible.
As of today, the County has not announced any plans to redevelop the Wesley Street property.
MORE OF OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF THE MILLAGE AND CONDITIONS AT THE WESLEY STREET JAIL HERE, HERE, HERE, AND HERE.
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