In the category of smart business ventures and creative use of space and taxpayers’ dollars, Snohomish County Corrections Director Steve Thompson takes the prize again.
His proposal to rent out extra space in the new county jail next year is not a new concept. Cities, counties and state corrections facilities transport prisoners all over the state and even outside the state like a game of musical chairs. But Thompson’s plan stands to alleviate much of the new jail’s expense problem, which threatens to plague the county and taxpayers. It deserves the County Council’s full support.
Thompson has already proved he can solve problems quickly and save money in the process – such as when he saved a half-million dollars in overtime expenses. Now he’s asking for permission to lease extra cell space in the new jail. The move would mean hiring more staff to accommodate the new inmates – a step that makes some nervous. Thompson is confident the market for this proposal is solid and he’s doing his homework to make sure the price is right for negotiating these contracts. He easily rattles off the list of cities and counties in need of more jail beds.
“We’re going to be probably the only county in Western Washington with over 200 beds of capacity to lease over the next five to 10 years,” he said.
By 2006 the revenue from leasing the space could cover 102 percent of projected operation costs for the new jail.
The plan leaves plenty of room for county and city inmates. Right now, some cities in Snohomish County contract with Okanogan County as well as locally for jail space. The new jail will save cities the cost of transporting inmates elsewhere as well as the possibility of having to join to build a municipal corrections facility in the future. Taxpayers not only save money, but their dollars stay right here in Snohomish County instead of going to pay staff in other counties to guard inmates from this county.
Voters have twice rejected a sales-tax increase to pay for the operation of the new jail. Thompson has come forward with an idea that stands an excellent chance of fixing that problem.
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