Washington County officials endorse covid-related jail expansion; Justices of the peace back use of federal relief funds

The Washington County Detention Center Thursday June 23, 2022 in Fayetteville.  Visit  nwaonline.com/220626Daily/   for daily galleries.  (NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)
The Washington County Detention Center Thursday June 23, 2022 in Fayetteville. Visit nwaonline.com/220626Daily/ for daily galleries. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)

FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County justices of the peace on Monday recommended spending about $8.8 million in federal covid relief money on a $20 million expansion of the county's Detention Center.

The Quorum Court's Jail/Law enforcement/Courts Committee endorsed an ordinance to appropriate the money for the jail project. The ordinance will go to the Quorum Court's Finance & Budget Committee when that panel meets at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7.

The justices of the peace unanimously approved sending the ordinance on to the Finance Committee.

According to the ordinance recommended by the justices of the peace, Washington County has already spent about $1 million on design and engineering work for the proposed covid-related expansion, leaving about $18.8 million to build the project.

The Finance & Budget Committee has a separate ordinance on its agenda for Tuesday's meeting that would earmark another $10 million for the project. All of the ordinances would have to be approved by the full Quorum Court.

The county authorized design work on the $20 million covid-related project beginning in 2021 but put the idea on the back burner while pursuing a much larger plan to add jail space and space to the juvenile justice system. Those projects would have been paid for by a bond issue with the bonds paid by a temporary 0.25% sales tax increase.

Nearly 59% of voters rejected the jail plan, while 54% said no to the juvenile justice system proposal on Nov. 8, according to official results.

Several members of the public who spoke at Monday's meeting said the election results showed the public doesn't support a larger jail. Others argued that federal guidelines for using the American Rescue Plan Act funds don't allow the money to be used for jail expansion projects. Questions were also raised about the cost of operating a larger facility and how the county would pay those increased costs.

The Quorum Court in August 2021 approved $250,000 from the county's American Rescue Plan money for preliminary architectural and engineering work on an expansion meant to enhance the facility's ability to handle detainees during the covid-19 pandemic.

At that time, according to the Sheriff's Office, there were 11 separate 24-person blocks being used to manage detainees in different stages of quarantine. The justices of the peace in May authorized another $1 million to complete the architectural and engineering work.

The expansion plan would add about 230 beds to the jail in medium-security additions, according to information presented to justices of the peace. There wouldn't be a full jail pod built in this proposal.

The largest single part of the plan is a 130-bed addition for women, adding 14,000 to 15,000 square feet at a cost of about $5 million to $6 million. Another large expansion would add 100 beds for men in about 12,000 square feet for $4 million to $5 million.

Expanding the jail intake area would cost another $2.5 million to $3 million and expanding the medical space at the jail would cost $750,000 to $1 million.

The other parts of the expansion include space for jail administration, the courtroom at the jail and storage.

The current estimated cost of the project, including a 10% "covid contingency," is $19.8 million, according to information from the Sheriff's Office. That includes the $1 million already spent on design work. The covid contingency portion of the estimated cost would be for addressing any covid-related cost issues, such as supply chain problems or an outbreak of covid in the jail.

Also Monday, Jay Cantrell, chief deputy for the Sheriff's office and sheriff-elect, told the committee the county's medical services provider, Karas Correctional Health, has notified the county they will terminate their contract to provide medical services to detainees at the Detention Center. Cantrell said the company said the increasing cost of medical malpractice insurance prompted the decision. He said the company indicated the cost of the insurance was increasing from $125,000 a year to $650,000 a year.

Cantrell said the company will continue to provide medical services through the end of 2022.

The ACLU of Arkansas filed a federal lawsuit in January on behalf of former detainees who claim they were unknowingly given ivermectin at the jail to treat covid-19 without their prior informed consent or being told the nature, contents or potential side effects of the drug.

The lawsuit says they were told the treatment consisted of vitamins, antibiotics and/or steroids. The lawsuit contends detainees were given ivermectin as early as November 2020 and didn't become aware of what the treatment was until July 2021.

Plaintiffs in the case include Edrick Floreal-Wooten, Jeremiah Little, Julio Gonzales, Dayman Blackburn and Thomas Fritch, who were housed in a quarantine block at the jail.

Defendants include Tim Helder, in his individual capacity as sheriff; Karas Correctional Health; and Dr. Robert Karas. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved ivermectin for use in treating or preventing covid-19 in humans, according to the lawsuit. It's approved to treat some parasitic worms, head lice and skin conditions but isn't an antiviral drug.

  photo  The Washington County Sheriff?s Office and the Washington County Detention Center is seen Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, in Fayetteville. Visit nwaonline.com/210828Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
 
 

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What’s next

Washington County’s Finance & Budget Committee will discuss a proposed $20 million jail expansion when the panel meets at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7 in the County Courthouse, 280 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville.

Source: Staff report

 


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