Jail redesign could take years

RITZVILLE — Adams County has not had an operating jail in a couple years and the only thing standing in the way of rebooting it is money.

An assortment of county officials met with the DOH Associates architectural firm of Wenatchee on Nov. 26 to discuss how to start renovations. While there was a wide range of safety and infrastructure ideas to advance, there was also an adult in the room.

County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Flyckt estimated the process to come up with anything better than what now exists might take two years, “and maybe more,” to realize.

“I think it would be in everyone’s best interest to also have some kind of contingency plan in place while we’re working on the long term,” Flyckt said. “What do we do if we need to use the facility now, because the county is in a tight spot where they have a facility but they’re not using it to house inmates.

“We’re paying two other counties to house those inmates. There’s a possibility the county could do that for another 2-3 years, but we also need to be planning for the possibility that someday we get a phone call and a neighboring county says, ‘We can’t house these people for you anymore.’”

That’s the adult in the room.

Sheriff Dale Wagner said the current jail design does not help the county it is spread over three levels.

“You can’t run a three-tier facility with one person,” Wagner said.

He told the members of the meeting the jail is outdated and, “you’ll see it right when you walk in.

“We’re trying to figure out how it can function better for not just the inmates, but also the employee safety.“

Wagner noted jail design must consider the dispatch staff because, “the jail and dispatch are connected.”

Architect Paul Coppock is confident he can deliver.

Coppock said he has hired a consultant that has worked successfully in, “other jurisdictions.”