Supervisors give approval to feasibility study and needs assessment in regard to new jail facility, use of Makee Manor

by Bob Beach

During its regular meeting Monday, July 22 the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met with Sheriff Clark Mellick to discuss the possible use of Makee Manor as a jail. Mellick introduced John Hansen of Midwest Construction Consultants, who presented the Board with a proposal to conduct a feasibility study and needs assessment.
Hansen said that the proposal includes two phases - the first phase would include a feasibility study for a new jail facility, either at Makee Manor or another site, and the second phase would be focused on securing funding for renovations or construction of a new facility.
During the first phase, Hansen said a committee would be established to oversee the project and an assessment of the existing jail on the fourth floor of the Allamakee County Courthouse would be conducted to identify deficiencies and to determine future uses in the event that the jail is relocated. Makee Manor would also be evaluated not just for its potential usefulness for a jail, but for other potential uses as well. Hansen said that the first phase would also include preliminary architectural drawings and cost estimates. The cost of completing the first phase would be $16,800 plus reimbursable expenses such as mileage and document printing.
Mellick said that he had spoken with other counties Hansen's firm has worked with and that he would be comfortable moving forward with the first phase of the study, adding that sufficient funds to cover the cost of the study are available in the jail fund.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Larry Schellhammer said that the evaluation of Makee Manor should be Hansen's first priority, as the County has received some interest in purchasing the property. Hansen said that he would make Makee Manor the first priority and could likely complete that portion of the study in a few weeks. Schellhammer also pointed out that the public perception has been that Sheriff Mellick initiated discussions about using Makee Manor as a jail, when in fact the Board of Supervisors had first approached Mellick when Makee Manor became available.
Mellick said that there are deficiencies at the current jail that will eventually lead to its closure, adding that the feasibility study would have "no shelf life." He said that he would be willing to hold a town hall meeting to educate the public about the need for a new jail facility.
Supervisor Sherry Strub said that a tour of the current jail should be sufficient to demonstrate the need for a new facility, calling the current jail "appalling." She added that the need for a new jail has nothing to do with the comfort of the prisoners, but with the safety of the facility and the safety of deputies and employees.
The Board voted unanimously to approve the agreement with Midwest Construction Consultants for the first phase of the study, contingent upon review by the County Attorney.
In other business, the Board approved the full-time status of Jill Meyer in the County Attorney's office, effective July 15. The Board approved a contract with the Iowa Department of Public Health for a $10,000 grant for substance abuse services and accepted and placed on file a cost report from Case Management. The Board also signed a letter of engagement with Hacker Nelson for auditing services.