New law enforcement center expected to be open in 13 months
RED OAK — Montgomery County Supervisor Karen Blue made a bold prediction at Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new $6 million law enforcement center.
“Mark your calendars for a ribbon cutting,” Blue said, referencing an August, 2012 completion date of the 24-bed facility.
Construction on the new center (LEC) officially began Thursday, as city officials, county supervisors, law enforcement staff, and construction team representatives took part in the groundbreaking ceremony.
The focus of several speeches during the ceremony was the feeling of gratitude officials and law enforcement have for the voters, who passed a funding measure for the project with a 79 percent majority.
The current facility, which is over a century old, has been a safety, functionality, expense and tax issue to Montgomery County, law enforcement staff and citizens for years. With the new project passed and its construction under way, county and city officials hope to put those challenges behind them.
Beginning in April 2009, jail committee members met every two weeks for 15 months with Supervisor Donna Robinson and several others to collaborate on the project.
Committee members included Chairperson Donna Robinson, Ron Brown, Dan Cain, Roger Ehmke, Drue Powers, Ken Rech, Julie Rubey, Clint Rubey , Joe Sampson, Jim Sifford, Margaret Stoldorf, Brad Wright and Joni Ernst, clerk to the jail committee.
After a minor glitch with another company, the committee chose to work with Prochaska and Associates to design the center. Steven Riley, architect and executive vice president of Prochaska, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity.
“Montgomery County has been wrestling with the idea of replacing the 100-year-old jail for years and probably decades,” Riley said.
“Some may find themselves surprised to find themselves standing here at a jail groundbreaking in their lifetime. Montgomery County Jail Committee is the best we ever worked with.”
JFSCO and Oakview dck, LLC are collaborating with Prochaska on the long awaited project. Supplies and materials are already being purchased and demolition of sidewalks and outside edges are planned to begin next week.
Sheriff Joe Sampson pointed to Mike Sanchez, jail administrator, and John Spunaugle, chief deputy, as being instrumental in the development of the law enforcement center plans, providing insight into the current conditions they are working in and the provisions necessary to improve that situation.
“We are only certified for 14 inmates right now due to standards changing and regulations of square footage per inmate. Deterioration of the walls, rusting, sanitation, and safety is not right. Just about anybody could break out of here if they had the sense to do it,” Sanchez said of the current conditions of the jail. “With the new building we have something like 18,000-square-feet, the majority reserved for inmates. We’ll be able to have better security, opportunities for holding more inmates here, ability to deal with more abusive or combative inmates, and eliminating threat for escapes.”
The new building will be housing the Red Oak Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office and the 911 emergency dispatch center.
“It’s a chance for unity in the law enforcement of Montgomery County,” said Police Chief, Drue Powers.
“I think this is a wave to the future, with the counties coming together and developing as a mutual agreement,” said Mayor Ted Schoonover. “It’s a great opportunity for Montgomery County and will only get better from here.”
As part of a funding agreement between the Board of Supervisors and Red Oak’s City Council, the City will be paying nearly $450,000 of the total construction costs for its portion of the law enforcement center.