Fellow Paulding Residents & Voters:
Typical Paulding County. Let’s request a long-term levy, and additional taxes for our cash-strapped citizens, without giving you any of the data and figures to justify their request. Two big articles in the Crescent News so far, multiple TV appearances, and multiple articles in local papers – and – what data/numbers do you have to justify the reopening of the jail in Paulding County so far? NONE!
Yes, at least they now admit that it will cost more to reopen the local jail than to house inmates out-of-county, but who has crunched the numbers to see HOW MUCH MORE? Is this facility even large enough to hold all of our inmates? What are the complained about transportation costs to and from Putnam County? Do the courts use electronic video-conferencing to save on transportation costs of inmates?
WHERE is the documentation from the State of Ohio that the closed jail is even a worthy facility that can be reopened, since it has been left standing and closed for 6+ years? What are the State staffing requirements if it reopens? How in the world can you justify paying 8-12 jail staff only $300k? That translates to $37,500 to $25,000 in yearly salary, INCLUDING BENEFITS – which is an impossibility! Let alone when you add in the additional staffing and costs mentioned later in the article (jail administrator, four supervisors, eight corrections officers, a head cook and part-time personnel. There will also be costs for jail supplies and clerical items).
Who is to say that 8-12 people are enough to staff this facility? Where will women and juveniles be detained? What will Putnam County or other counties charge once we reopen to house our women, since our facility will not house women?
What Paulding people even have the necessary experience, training, and licensing to staff these NEW positions if the jail reopens? What guarantees are there that the jobs will be filled with Paulding County residents?
I remember when REPUBLICAN used to mean fiscally conservative, and small government. Why is our “REPUBLICAN” sheriff hell bent on doubling his staff and almost doubling his budget? What are the positives for reopening the jail? What are the negatives? Has Putnam County even been asked to lock in the $250k figure to house our inmates on a long term basis? What about the added costs of insurance for the jail? What about covering the liabilities for inmates in our own jail?
Why a jump of .25 mills since 2002? Can we expect that every 10 years? How can you project possibly five percent salary increases from negotiations – when most County personnel in Northwestern Ohio have been lucky to see a 1% raise yearly?
As far as the inconvenience of those visiting inmates by having to go visit them in Putnam County, why should law abiding citizens be paying for this convenience of our criminal residents?
What ever happened to going in with Putnam County to construct their jail, or with Van Wert, or with Defiance, or CCNO? why does Paulding, a small and shrinking community of under 20,000 citizens, need its own jail? Defiance County does not have its own jail – and is thankful for it!
Sadly, none of the above items and questions have been addressed or answered for the public before asking them to pull more money out of their own homes and mouths, just to inflate the ego of our sheriff by increasing his staff and budget.
Serious questions should be raised before even considering this bad idea of reopening the Paulding County Jail! The first should be: Why? Why now? What has changed to justify this idea? These should have been answered before the first meeting. Unfortunately, our Sheriff has put the cart before the horse, in typical Paulding fashion! Hopefully, those with a voice and a vote are smart enough to see through this!
—Russell R. Herman
RESPONSE to Russell R. Herman Letter to the Editor
Russ, I am disappointed that a person with your high degree of education would not have done a little more research prior to writing such a lengthy letter to the editor. However, I do agree that you have some excellent questions contained within your letter. You also have a few things just a little off-balance. Due to space, I will try to give brief comments by numbering your paragraphs 1-12.
1. No levy has been requested at this time, but if it would be, it would be a five year levy and it would be a new tax. The purpose for my meetings is to provide the public with data and listen to their feedback. I’m pleased you noticed the attention the media has given this important issue—that’s kinda the point!
2. It will cost more money. I have crunched the numbers and I estimate between $300,000-$450,000 depending on how many people we would hire. I would hope it is big enough. It has 52 beds and we have around a 20 inmate per day average. I have talked with local officials about video conferencing, however we have not implemented it at this time.
3. Via email, the folks in Columbus say if we have the same policy and procedure with the same staff, there “should” be no problems opening the doors. That said, they will not physically be in the building until September to look things over. The $300,000 you speak about would be new money in addition to the $538,825 currently budgeted for the jail operations, and I already have 1- Jail Administrator and 3- Supervisors.
4. We know how many people it takes to run this facility since it was in full-operation for a year and a half. We would house females in this facility as we did when it was open.
5. Really Russ? I know you’re not a native of Paulding County and you don’t work in Paulding County, but we really do have some pretty awesome people who live here. Although, if you heard me speak in my meetings, I would tell you I hope we could find all Paulding County folks, but I can’t predict that today.
6. I am a registered Democrat, Russell. And to think I am “hell bent” on doubling my staff and budget is asinine. It takes more staff to operate a full-service jail, and that unfortunately takes a lot more money. I speak on what I feel are a lot of positives and negatives to reopen the jail in my meetings. Our MOU with Putnam expires December 31, 2015.
7. As I know it, the jail is still insured the way it was when it was in full-operation. But good question. I’ll ask our agent.
8. Not sure what you’re asking in the first part here, but with the 5% issue, I am simply trying to project what “could” happen over a five year span, as we are a union operation and I need to project high enough on this millage so I don’t have to come back asking for more as was the case years ago.
9. Wow, I thought I was running low on compassion, but you have me beat. There is more to this inconvenience than what I can type here.
10. I’m not sure when you moved here, but this issue was resolved when our citizens decided they did not want a shared jail. My opinion is that your attitude in this editorial indicates you should consider moving somewhere you would be more happy.
11. Again, had you attended a meeting prior to writing this editorial, I think you would’ve learned this is exactly what I am doing, informing the public with answers to nearly each one of your listed questions. As far as your final comment in this paragraph; come on Russ, really?
12. And finally, you are correct. Our citizens should ask some serious questions. They should ask why, and why now, and what has changed, if anything. Because this is about what Paulding County residents want, not just me! I am simply the elected fella responsible to inform you what is taking place within my office. So after all of this typing I believe that you, Russell, have put the cart before the horse in writing this editorial as you clearly are not informed enough to realize the point of my meetings is not to force a levy on the people. It is not to vote today. It is simply to share facts and receive opinions so an educated decision can be made as to if a new operating levy should be placed on the ballot, and if so, there is a lot of work to be done on my part.
In closing, I would like the public to realize I am passionate about what I do. I am one resident that believes in Paulding County. I have experienced a lot of blood, sweat and tears in this community and I care about it.
I am proud to be your Sheriff, and at the end of the eight town hall meetings, I sure hope my heart can lead me in the right direction on this very important issue at hand. Should we invest in Paulding County and reopen the jail? Or are we content with the status quo? We truly do have a great financial deal today for our jail operations and I would never tell you different. But, I would suggest there is a lot to be said about that state-of-the-art facility sitting empty at 500 East Perry Street. Through talking with citizens, I think there would be a renewed sense of pride to our county if the jail reopened. But rest assured, no matter how this issue turns out, I will be at work the next day, and the day after that, as a proud American citizen serving the public.
—Jason K. Landers, Sheriff
