Zimmerlink challenges need for new prison
Within the next month, Fayette County’s Democratic commissioners appear poised to begin awarding contracts to architectural and engineering firms for the construction of a new prison, and move forward with temporarily leasing a building to ease overcrowding at the current lockup.
Longtime Fayette County Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink agrees that the aging prison needs to be upgraded and likely expanded, and that rehabilitative measures should be implemented.
However, it is her belief that it can be done without burdening the present and next generation of taxpayers with a $30 million bond issue that could ultimately cost more than $60 million over the next three decades.
Zimmerlink said that calls to her office and home have been non-stop over the past month as money is set aside, new prison sites chosen and construction timetables established for the building of a new prison — and those on the other end of the line are not happy.
“They believe they are being buffaloed,” she said in generalizing the concerns. “They believed that all options were going to be explored, but, in fact, they are not.
“The public pays attention to important things. They are seeing actions being taken that can only conclude a new prison is going to be built.”
Zimmerlink said she shares those same concerns and has, like those she has spoken to, listened to proponents of a new prison discuss their meetings with architects, available sites for new construction and other related issues to the project, but has yet to hear any alternative plans that should also be under consideration.
“They believe, like I do, come Sept. 25, when the needs assessment study is presented to the (county) prison board, it will verify what was already decided months ago — a new prison is needed,” she said. “It is a farce.
“A state-of-the-art, 500-bed prison would be nice, but we have to live within our means. When you have a county with a declining and aging population added to the number of people (who are) being laid off with the closing of National Envelope, BAE Systems and the Hatfield power plant, who is going to pay for this?”
In a 2-1 vote taken last month, commissioners hired Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates of Mechanicsburg and Sleighter Engineering Inc. of Uniontown to assess the current prison needs and determine if it is in the best interest of the county to refurbish or expand the current lockup, build a new prison or take no action. Zimmerlink was the lone vote against the action supported by Commissioners Al Ambrosini and Vincent Zapotosky.
Zimmerlink said that there has been discussion that revenue received by the county from Marcellus shale drilling and Lady Luck Nemacolin gaming proceeds would defray the bulk of the annual estimated loan repayment of $2.3 million, but she believes no trends have been established that would convince her or the public of its long term certainty as a stable income source.
“I’d rather use the casino money for its purpose — economic development,” she said. “The Marcellus shale money is to be used for certain purposes, and it is not for building a new jail.”
Zimmerlink said that the fast track tactics have also encompassed the female inmate annex, an initiative she does favor. However, Ambrosini, Zapotosky and those who support a new prison, appear to have decided it will be established in an Iowa Street building with very little public discussion.
“It is ridiculous not to look at other properties,” she said, adding that a request for proposals for other properties is to be advertised.
Last year, Zimmerlink said she saw an escalation in out-of-county rentals and sought the assistance of the National Institute of Corrections to assess the current prison shortfalls and to offer recommendations.
However, the findings have fallen to the wayside, similar to other alternatives that have been offered by her, while others press for a new prison, said Zimmerlink.
The premise that a new prison is needed because of rising rental costs is unfounded, she added, pointing to audited figures and her records.
Since 2003 and through 2011, the county has paid a total of $1.285 million to other counties to house inmates, not the “millions” every year being alleged by the proponents of a new prison, said Zimmerlink.
“The figures being used by (county Controller) Sean Lally are misleading,” she said.
The yearly figures indicate that $17,181 was spent in 2003; $130,194 in 2004; $238,568 in 2005; $51,102 in 2006; $9,585 in 2007; $51,990 in 2008; $25,967 in 2009; $495,164 in 2010 and $265,847 in 2011, according to amounts provided by Zimmerlink.
She refutes allegations that a new prison is needed now because she and past administrations failed to address the overcrowding.
Pointing to the construction of the current annex in 2002 and action taken in 2006 to implement alternative housing options should the population exceed the capacity limit, Zimmerlink said the statements are unfounded.
Officials — both commissioners and prison board members — worked together in having studies completed to assess what actions were feasible, added Zimmerlink, with a past administration undertaking the first phase of a multi-year project to expand the prison and a later administration urging the implementation alternative housing and work release programs and consideration of new or expanded prison.
According to October 2006 prison board minutes, Zimmerlink did raise the issue of potential overcrowding in the prison, advising the members that with all the studies related to the prison being reviewed, it was now time to “build a new prison, add on to the existing prison or sit back and do nothing and wait for the overcrowding to become a problem again.”
The board recommended that the prison matter and program and housing issues be considered by the then-commissioners, including Joseph A. Hardy III, Vincent Vicities and Zimmerlink, and the Criminal Justice Advisory Board.
“We were looking at the problems all along and taking steps that could be afforded,” said Zimmerlink.
Recent action by the commissioners to consider public meetings be held to present the findings of the Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Sleighter study and to field questions from the general public about the project, is warranted, said Zimmerlink
“It is important that when commissioners make a decision that all options are looked at, no matter what it is,” she said. “I have offered alternatives and will continue to do so.”