Perry County Opens New Jail

PERSISTENCE Pays Off

After 10 years, Perry County Jail Committee sees dream fulfilled

By Randy M. Kemp

County Lines Editor

It’s not the fanciest jail in Arkansas, and with a capacity of 28 inmates, not the biggest. But nobody’s prouder of a new jail facility than the officials and citizens of Perry County, who have been working for a decade to turn their dream into reality. The 5,400-square-foot facility opened in March, still smelling of fresh paint and construction materials.

“This has really been a monumental thing for Perry County,” said Baylor House, who is in his first term as county judge.

“Jail Standards kept threatening to shut us down,” said Sheriff Scott Montgomery. “We got warning after warning.” The Perry County Jail, located in the county seat of Perryville, averages a population of 18-25, the sheriff said, although on the day they were transferred out of the old jail to the new, they were at 16.

Key deficiencies at the old jail included the kitchen, lack of a ventilation system, the booking area was not able to be secured, and they were not able to adequately segregate the jail population by adult/teen, male/female, and adjudicated/non-adjudicated. “Now we have a very nice facility,” the sheriff added.

After years of work by an evolving quorum court jail committee, voters in 2007 approved a half-cent sales tax increase. When the construction is paid off, a quarter-cent of that will “sunset”, leaving an ongoing quarter-cent for operation and maintenance. Collection of the new tax began in early 2008.

Even after its approval at the polls, Perry County officials’ fight for the new jail was not over. The first bids, in the fall of 2008, came in too high, and they decided to let the fund accumulate further before turning dirt. When they rebid the project in April 2009, they had more cash, and the stalled economy worked in their favor, said Judge House. The successful bid was $258,000 lower than the 2008 low bid. The sheriff’s office, 9-1-1, first responders, and city police and fire are all dispatched out of the new county facility. The sheriff’s office is a couple of blocks east, housed in a leased property on Main Street. The sheriff planned to apply in April for a grant to remodel the old jail, which sits adjacent to the new facility, for use as the sheriff’s office.

The county has applied to the Department of Correction for Act 309 state prisoners to help with cooking, laundry, cleaning and vehicle upkeep. Sheriff Montgomery said he would be letting other counties know that Perry County had a few extra beds; and he has let U.S. Marshals know “we can keep a couple of beds open.” The U.S. Marshal’s Office pays whether contracted beds are empty or occupied.

The Perry County Sheriff’s Office includes 10 full-time officers: Sheriff Montgomery, two investigators, six road deputies, and a school resource officer. Seven full-time dispatchers and jailers, and seven part-time round out the staff.

Perry County’s 2000 population was about 10,800; Judge House expects that to top 12,000 after the 2010 Census.

What advice might Judge House offer other counties considering local funding for a new jail? “Get a committee that is really devoted to it, with members who are thinking about it, and

Judge Baylor House hands over the keys to Sheriff Scott Montgomery, signaling time for the transfer of inmates.

Stainless steel commode/sink facilities provide the latest technology in this modern indoor convenience... but if you get arrested, don’t expect too much privacy.

Jail Committee

members joined the media for a walk-through on the day before inmates were transferred from the old jail next door. Several of them have been serving on the committee for a decade.

Left: Jail Committee member and former JP Wanda Smith said the shiny new kitchen is one of the things of which they are most proud. Above: A new washer and dryer in the laundry room.

talking, and coming up with ideas; and educate the public about the great need.” One of the Perry County JPs, for instance, attended town meetings and city council meetings and talked it up, he said.

The original quorum court jail committee was appointed in 2000, then expanded in 2002 to include other citizens and leaders. The first election effort in 2004 fell short in the polls by two-thirds, according to committee members on hand at a recent “media day” introduction. That committee was disbanded after the unsuccessful vote, and the judge appointed a new committee. “I think the first time, people didn’t understand just how bad it was,” said Justice of the Peace Jimmy Ray Evans. “We pared the cost, and educated the public; we were upfront with people on everything,” he said.

Current committee members include JP Evans, JP Patty Brazil, former JP Wanda Smith, citizen Joe Tipton, JP Randy Wilson, JP Carmen Wise, JP Charlie Clements, JP Bill Doughty, Sheriff Montgomery, former Judge True Robinson, and Judge House.

Architects were Taggert & Foster; builders were Noacon, based in Shirley.

Dispatcher Colleen Thomas can see what is going on throughout the facility thanks to a closed video system.