Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 7, 1992 TAG: 9201070145
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
FEDERAL FUNDS TO HELP PAY FOR EXPANDED JAIL
The federal government has agreed to provide $250,000 to help pay for expanding the crowded Roanoke jail, the first step in what city officials hope will be a long-term solution to overcrowding.The U.S. Marshals Service has agreed to pay part of the estimated $500,000 to $6O0,000 cost for completing one remaining unfinished area in the jail that would provide 42 additional beds.
In exchange, the city must guarantee that 20 beds will be available at all times for federal prisoners for the next 15 years. Sheriff Alvin Hudson said that would put no additional burden on the jail space because an average of 40 federal prisoners already are being housed there daily.
City Council voted Monday to approve the agreement with the Marshals Service. City Manager Bob Herbert said he intends to proceed quickly with the design and construction bids.
But city officials have acknowledged this will be only an intermediate step because a major expansion of the jail or construction of an annex to handle non-violent prisoners is needed.
The jail has a rated capacity for 216 prisoners, but as many as 425 have been there in recent months. To handle the overflow, extra bunks have been placed in cells so prisoners do not have to sleep on the floor.
Hudson and city officials are studying alternatives to help ease the overcrowding.
Preliminary cost estimates have ranged as high as $8.1 million for a minimum-security jail annex to house up to 150 non-violent inmates who now must be kept with other, more dangerous, prisoners.
City officials have said that a bond issue probably will be required to finance additional jail facilities, but no decision has been made.
Council recently authorized hiring 11 additional people to bolster the jail staff.
In other action Monday, council:
Agreed to request the General Assembly to exempt the Roanoke Valley Council of Community Services from real estate taxes on property it has acquired at 502 Campbell Ave. S.W. for its offices. Herbert has recommended that council adopt a policy that would require tax-exempt organizations to pay a service charge for fire and police protection and other city services, equal to 20 percent of the real estate taxes on the property. He also recommended that the amount of the exempt taxes be deducted from any city funds that are appropriated for such agencies. Council postpone d action on the proposed policy.
Agreed to pay 25 percent of the $73,698 cost for the installation of traffic lights at Peters Creek Road and Northside High School Road. The busy intersection is in the city, but Northside High School is in Roanoke County. The county's Public Safety Building also is at the intersection, as is the entrance to the Kroger Co.'s offices.
Under a cooperative arrangement, the city, Kroger, the county and the Virginia Department of Transportation each will pay 25 percent of the cost for the signals.
Approved a resolution memorializing Fred Robinson, a police officer killed in a car crash early Sunday. Council also observed a moment of silent prayer in memory of Robinson.