JACKSON COUNTY OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF PRESENTS JAIL AND MILLAGE INFORMATION FOR NOV. 8TH BALLOT
September 20, 2022
For more information about the below, contact:
Gary R. Schuette, Sheriff
517-768-7921
Wesley Street Deficiencies
The 1978 addition is sinking and pulling away from the main structure. At some points, there is 6 inches of separation. The Sewer pipes are original and routinely leak raw sewage, often falling on deputies. Several large metal pans catch raw sewage and direct it to buckets which are routinely emptied. Only 5 of 24 electronic door locks work. Dated equipment cannot be repaired as it is no longer produced. Radio transmissions by deputies do not penetrate the solid concrete walls creating severe safety hazards. Heating and cooling is adjusted using vice grips which are propped up by metal poles. Locks on cell doors are failing and repairs are in the thousands for just one lock. Security fencing is inadequate and also sinking. The gate has a 2-foot gap when closed. Costs to repair Wesley Street are higher than a full teardown and replacement of the building. |
Millage
The Chanter Road facility, and the north side addition to Wesley Street, was built using a ½ mill increase to property tax. This millage also accounted for additional funding for operational costs at the Chanter Road Facility. The ½ mill millage expired in 2021. The last year of collection is 2022. Costs for building the project are estimated at $51,895,705. ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds can be used for approximately $2 million of the cost. Millage request for the balance of the cost is for 1 mill over 20 years; this is a half mill increase over the expired millage. 1 mill results in a property tax increase of $1 for every $1000 of taxable value. A house worth $200,000 has a taxable value of $100,000. Therefore, the property owner in this example would pay an additional $100 per year in property tax. The effective increase in taxes is really only half that, $50 per year, because of the previous ½ mill millage. – $100 per year = 27 cents per day – $50 per year = 13 1/2 cents per day |
Solution
An architectural design firm, specializing in jails, worked with the Sheriff to complete a comprehensive study to determine the needs of Jackson County now and 20 years into the future. This includes: – Demolition of Wesley Street Jail; – A 250 bed jail addition to Chanter Road; – A new, and much smaller, Sheriff’s Office constructed at the Wesley Street location that includes an enclosed sally port, equipped with an elevator, for securely transferring inmates to court. State law requires the Sheriff’s Office be located in the county seat, which is the City of Jackson. |