SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
August 6, 2024
Sullivan’s Salvos 8/8/24
In this edition:
*Bohannan for Congress!
*Tim Walz for Vice President!
*Jail Needs Update
*Did You Know?
*Bohannan for Congress!
Please allow me to make a case for Christina Bohannan for Congress!
If you are giving money ANYWHERE, Bohannan should be at the top of your list! If you are volunteering ANYWHERE, Bohannan should be at the top of your list! I feel this race is being overlooked by some of the people of Johnson County, and that would be a HUGE mistake!
The following ran in Salvos two years ago. It still stands.
I just wanted to take a moment to share my admiration for 1st District Congressional Candidate Christina Bohannan.
When I met Christina, it was immediately evident that she was friendly, warm, and unbelievably intelligent. Those qualities alone can serve a person quite well in elective office. But Christina has gone on to impress me in many additional ways.
Christina is an incredibly hard worker. She doggedly researches topics, she talks to everyone who might be affected, and she is willing to work across the aisle. I am aware of one situation where Republicans in the House were ready to ram home legislation, and Democrats felt helpless. But Christina intervened, and almost singlehandedly made the bill less bad. I am really impressed by her work in the Iowa Legislature!
Christina puts that same hard work into constituent services. I know many people who have been pleased by her follow through. Unfortunately, many of us do not expect a lot from our elected officials. Christina has proven otherwise. If she says she is going to do something, it gets done, it gets done quickly, and it gets done well.
Finally, and I cannot emphasize this enough – Christina really cares. She truly wants to improve the lives of Iowans. She did not have it easy growing up. Christina lived in a trailer, and her dad worked construction until emphysema (and a lack of good health insurance) made work impossible. Christina has never forgotten these roots. All of her votes have those who are less powerful in mind.
I am going to be enthusiastically campaigning for Christina Bohannan this election season. I am proud to knock doors on her behalf! I hope you will join me!
*Tim Walz for Vice President!
I have to say, I am really excited about the choice of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President!
You’ve probably seen the laundry list of Walz’ accomplishments as Governor. The list is impressive! And you have probably seen his plainspoken explanations as to why Democrats are the best choice. Those are great, too! But there is another story about Tim Walz that needs to be told. It literally brought me to tears.
Walz was a high school teacher and football coach. In 1999, he led his Mankato high school to their first ever State Championship. You know what the first thing he did when the team returned to Mankato? He announced that the high school was starting a gay-straight alliance, and that he would be the faculty sponsor.
This is a good man, folks. Go Harris/Walz!
*Jail Needs Update
The current jail was built in 1981 to house 46 residents, which was inadequate from the start. It also was not built with sufficient footings to expand vertically. The surrounding land is a high priority for the UI, so it is not available. Double bunking allowed the jail to house 92 inmates, but it does so neither adequately nor comfortably. This move also cost the jail all available space for treatment, exercise, small groups, visitations, worship, and the like. It is also not built to house women or nonbinary prisoners. For the last few years, the Sheriff considers the jail full at about 65 prisoners.
The average daily population in FY 2024 was a little over 80. That means on an average day, 15 inmates get shipped to other counties. That led to $331,000 in expenses in FY 2024.
Other counties charge between $55 and $80 per day to house each prisoner. We are currently using jails in Linn and Henry County; both charge a bit over $60/day per inmate. Add in transportation costs, and it runs almost $100/day to house an inmate out of county. It costs considerably less to house inmates in our own jail.
Problems exist with the current arrangements. First, transporting prisoners is a logistical nightmare. They need to appear in court frequently, and also have a right to visitors, which is hard if they are not here. That is another problem – some of the nearby jails are filling up. That means we are forced to transport many prisoners farther away - to Lee County, for example. That adds a great deal to the cost. Secondly, there is not adequate room for exercise, study, religious services, or classes. These are all part of a humane and rehabilitative system for housing inmates. Thirdly, the current jail is also less than ideal for the deputies that work there; they are more at risk than we would like. Finally, the existing jail is literally falling apart. We run the risk that we will simply have to close it for reasons of structural safety.
One of the clear messages from the failed 2000 referendum was that the public expected alternatives to incarceration. This is an area where Sheriff Pulkrabek and his staff excelled, and Sheriff Kunkel has followed suit. Most of the alternatives that could be used are already in place. The public has gotten what they asked for, and the results have been very positive. There are still a few more measures that can be taken, and I expect the County will institute those soon. Most additional alternatives would rest solely with the judiciary.
While positive, the results have not alleviated the overcrowding to the extent we had hoped. Alternatives eliminate an average of several inmates per day, but when the average daily population is still fifteen+ more people than the jail will hold, that is not a big enough impact to change the big picture. The biggest obstacle to more alternatives is, ironically, a lack of space.
The selection of a site will influence the operational costs; a building that is 1-2 stories with good lines of sight will cost less to staff. While no decisions have been made, it seems prudent to review several sites for the cost of land acquisition, land development, and operations.
I view the jail situation as being similar to private home ownership. If the cost of renting exceeds the cost of a mortgage, you probably ought to consider buying. Johnson County is certainly paying more to house prisoners elsewhere than it might cost to build and operate a new facility. The key will be not just the cost of erecting a new building, but the costs of operating said building.
As you can see, there are many variables to be considered. There are also plenty of people with plenty of opinions on this. Obviously, attorneys and law enforcement officers care what happens. So do social justice advocates. We are often reminded that the US leads the world in the percentage of people incarcerated, and that Iowa is among the very worst when it comes to disproportionate minority confinement. We need to do our part locally to ensure that only those people who are a threat to others are incarcerated. We have not only a financial obligation, but more importantly, a moral obligation to limit unnecessary jail stays.
Some would have you believe that jail overcrowding is the biggest crisis facing Johnson County. Others would have you believe that things are just fine. In my opinion, neither of those opinions is correct.
The bottom line is, most residents use neither the jail nor the courthouse. For most residents of Johnson County, the jail and courthouse are simply expenses. So any proposal to address the overcrowding at either or both buildings will have to focus on the costs. I think the public will be willing to build a facility if it saves money in the long run; I am not sure they will spend the money if it will cost more.
You can find much more info on the jail at: https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/sheriff/jail-stats.
I need to do much more to engage the public on this complex topic. So what do you think? I would like to know!
*DID YOU KNOW? In 2020, Johnson County’s Congressional District (then the 2nd; now the first) was only decided by 6 votes! That was the closest Congressional race in the US!
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
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As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 11:12 AM
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