Juvenile lockup question heading to voters

SANDPOINT — Bonner County voters will be asked to support a two-year override levy later this summer to fund the construction of a new juvenile detention center.

County commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to put the levy question before voters on August 4. The county is seeking voter approval for up to $6.6 million in funding.

If approved, the county would levy up to $3.3 million for two consecutive years to pay for the facility, which would replace an outmoded juvenile lockup fashioned from a former residence at the Bonner County Sheriff’s complex at North Boyer Avenue and Schweitzer Cutoff Road.

The commission also approved a conceptual location for the new facility, which would be put on the northwest corner of the complex, south of the county fairgrounds. That location would enable the county to continue using the existing facility while the new one is being built and it would not displace  sheriff’s search-and-rescue and evidence facilities.

County officials had considered funding reconstruction of those facilities and some other courthouse improvements through the levy, but have decided against such a move.

“It would be better to keep it a one-issue ballot measure,” recommended Sheriff Daryl Wheeler.

The new detention facility would have an equipped kitchen and laundry facilities, in addition to adjacent office space for Bonner County Justice Services. City-mandated sidewalks are also included in the project.

Bonner County Justice Services Director Debbie Stallcup recommended that the county continue preparing juvenile detainees’ meals at the adult jail and lay the groundwork for the kitchen at the new facility once facility populations dictate.

“All you would need to do is at the staff,” she said.

Commissioner Cornel Rasor said he’s gotten some negative feedback from taxpayers about a possible levy. However, Rasor said he’s been reminding critics that the county would have to spend more than $1 million annually to house and transport Bonner County’s youthful offenders to the Region 1 lockup in Kootenai County.

“That seems to relieve some of the concerns,” he said.

Moreover, the county is approaching the replacement project in a debt-averse manner. Rasor said the county would have to pay up to $6-8 million in interest if a bonding route were pursued.

Commissioner Lewis Rich said relocating the facility to the northwest quadrant would save the county in development costs and emphasized that the bids could come in for less than $6.6 million.