Pubdate: Thu, 17 Jun 2004
Source: McAlester News-Capital & Democrat (OK)
Copyright: McAlester News-Capital & Democrat 2004
Contact: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=139068&BRD=1126
Website: http://www.mcalesternews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1892
Author: James Beaty

NEW JAIL, COURTHOUSE BEING CONSIDERED

Pittsburg County commissioners have started action toward possible 
construction of a new Pittsburg County Jail and a new county courthouse.

They just don't know how to pay for it.

"That's down the road," said Pittsburg County District 3 Commissioner Randy 
Crone.

Pittsburg County District 1 Commissioner Gene Rogers and District 2 
Commissioner H.A. "Bear" Gilliam, have voted to retain a bond counsel, a 
local attorney and a financial advisor to look at financing options for the 
courthouse and county jail projects

Crone also supports the idea.

Building a new courthouse and jail would require passage of a bond or sales 
tax issue. Crone said there is no projection on how much the measure would 
cost, or how much of a bond or sales tax increase would be required at this 
point.

No sites have been selected for any of the proposed buildings to be 
constructed, he said.

"It's too early," Crone said.

"We have a citizens group together that's looking at the possibility of a 
new courthouse and a new jail," Crone said. "We're also looking at an 
animal shelter,."

The group is being headed by McAlester businessman Mike Ward.

The jail presents the most pressing problem.

"The jail itself is so overcrowded," Crone said. When the jail was built, 
it was designed to hold no more than 65 inmates.

Sometimes more than 100 inmates have been crowded into the jail, built in 
the early 1970s.

"The biggest deal back then was a little marijuana and public drunk," Crone 
said, noting that the surge of methamphetamine use has caused the jail to 
be filled.

The courthouse, which Crone said last underwent a major renovation in 1926, 
presents another set of problems.

"It doesn't meet fire codes," he said. "The plumbing is terrible." Problems 
occur with heating and air conditioning.

An alternative is renovating or building an addition to the Pittsburg 
County Jail and constructing a county administration building, according to 
Crone.

A county administration building would house county officers, such as the 
offices of the county clerk, county treasurer, county assessor and the 
commissioners.

That plan would leave everyone dealing with the courts, such as the offices 
district attorney, judges and court clerk, in the current courthouse.

Marshal Hawkins is working as a financial consultant on the project. Crone 
said Ben Graves is working on the architectural side of the project

The commissioner said an agreement states Hawkins and the architect "do not 
get any payment until we find out how we're going to pay for it."

Attorney Eddie Harper is serving as the local counsel through the Pittsburg 
County Economic Development Authority.

"We want a thorough look at this deal and we want to get a feel for what 
the citizens of this county want," Crone said.
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