From: "Drumm, Dan L." <DRUMM@uwec.edu> Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:59:45 -0500 Subject: FW: JAIL !!! DOWN TO THE WIRE !!! Message-ID: <EEA4CA65D05DC54E874A89D9F518681953EEDE0AF9@CHERRYCOKE.uwec.edu>
A new site for the jail is about to be recommended.
I’m forwarding this because it’s important to me, and I think it should
be important to you. It’s vital that everyone on this committee either
hear from you by phone, email or they see you at Thursdays’ meeting. The
y have to understand that people are watching. Even a very short email or
call is all that’s required, but it’s required now.
The entire process of selecting a jail site has been stage managed from t
he beginning. It’s difficult to list all of the double standards applied
to try to manipulate the outcome. Even when committee members select crite
ria, the county staff retroactively defines their words. (i.e. “a Jail s
hould not be located close a school, waterway or recreational area” mean
s a jail should not be located within 320 feet of these things.)
It’s hard to image shoehorning another jail expansion in the area they pr
opose downtown, but even after condemning more riverfront property we are s
till left with no room for expansion of our ever expanding jail system. To
night an old timer told me they condemned some beautiful homes along the ri
ver for the previous jail expansion and promised never to do it again…
Here we are again. The newest plan puts a three to five story parking ramp
directly on the river.
If you care at all about Eau Clare and it’s downtown, please forward this
email to others, and then send a quick email to the committee members belo
w. We have some wonder options on the perimeter of Eau Claire, With room t
o expand if necessary and room for programs that rehabilitate.
Thanks!!!
- Dan
Special Committee to Resolve Jail Space and Site Needs
Colleen Bates, Chair
405 Skyline Dr.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
835-9813
pbates9813@charter.net<mailto:pbates9813@charter.net>
Will Fantle, Vice-Chair
901 Platt St.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
839-7731
wfantle@sbcglobal.net<mailto:wfantle@sbcglobal.net>
Kathleen Clark
2014 Linda Ln.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
832-5078
kcamacoy@sbcglobal.net<mailto:kcamacoy@sbcglobal.net>
Ken Fulgione
330 Lincoln Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
577-4197
Ken@Fulgione.net<mailto:Ken@Fulgione.net>
Howard Ludwigson
5537 Bayview Dr.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
577-6759
ludhv@charter.net<mailto:ludhv@charter.net>
Maureen Slauson
322 West Grand Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
832-5338
mtslauson@gmail.com<mailto:mtslauson@gmail.com>
Jerry Wilkie
3114 Coltman Ln.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
835-9524
gwilkie@charter.net<mailto:gwilkie@charter.net>
Dave Duax
2003 Noble Ct.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
835-0905
dave.citycouncil@charter.net<mailto:dave.citycouncil@charter.net>
Kerry Kincaid
4441 S. Lowes Creek Rd.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
831-1013
kerryjsk@charter.net<mailto:kerryjsk@charter.net>
Tom Barland
1617 Drummond St.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
835-5326
tbarland@charter.net<mailto:tbarland@charter.net>
Hal Davis
3521 Ellis St.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
831-0618
aehedavis@charter.net<mailto:aehedavis@charter.net>
Jerry Foote
606 4th Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
834-5923
kfoote@uwec.edu<mailto:kfoote@uwec.edu>
Jeff Halloin
4113 Birch Crest Ln.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
832-5884
jeff@landmark-company.com<mailto:jeff@landmark-company.com>
Web Hart
116 W. Grand Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
832-3491
web@eauclairelaw.com<mailto:web@eauclairelaw.com>
Rick Kayser
1219 Graham Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
835-1165
praedld@aol.com<mailto:praedld@aol.com>
Subject: !!! DOWN TO THE WIRE !!!
Hi Everyone: 3 HUGE things:
1) It's down to the wire for the Special Committee; they
very likely WILL VOTE...DOWNTOWN VS. REMOTE SITE
at their next meeting. It's too close to call, but they actually might vot
e in favor of a downtown jail expansion. This despite a long list of reason
s why an expansion belongs on a larger remote site; reasons such as:
* At current site, inevitable future expansion would be impossible
;
* Expansion at current site would eliminate prospects for 1st Ave.
development, an ideal location for revenue opportunties;
* All 25 jail expansion plans at current site shoehorn jail/justic
e center needs into insufficient acreage and clumsy design for effective op
eration;
* Issues remain with proximity to river, historic neighborhood, ch
urches, schools;
* And the list goes on. . . SOOO. . .
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
Please contact Special Committee members to say that you - and the citizens
of Eau Claire - remain opposed to a jail expansion downtown. It's so impo
rtant that they hear from you! Spec. Comm member contact info is attached.
Call them, please!
2) Special Committee Meeting: Next THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 6:30 pm, County Co
urthouse, Rm 2550. It's soooo important that you. . .
* COME: We need to pack the house to show our opposition to a jail expa
nsion downtown. Please come and show your support.
* SPREAD THE WORD. . .tell lots of people -- Let's turnout and fill the
room with citizens from our community to witness this vote.
SPREAD THE WORD.........PLEASE COME!
Below are some of the concerns about the double standards applied to the si
tes. It's easy to see how the public can perceive this process as rigged.
OFF Site
Downtown
Six vague renderings of facilities showing all negative aspects of topograp
hy rather than potential assets. None given serious consideration. None nea
rly as detailed as Downtown plan.
Over 25 highly detailed plans for a single site attempting to cram a jail i
nto an small downtown area. No Plans leave room for expansion.
Items used to eliminate one off campus site were the proximity of a church,
recreation area, water way, etc.
Is near a school, park, waterway, trails, and adjacent to a church. Not eli
minated from consideration.
Does not require eminent domain
New property would need to be acquired, against the will of the owners
Only two meeting spent looking at remote sites
Many more meetings on the 1st Ave site trying to fit over 25 plan variation
s onto 1st Ave.
Only sites with 15 or more acres are considered. Site with less than 15 acr
es are dismissed out of hand.
Downtown site is 11-12 acres. Not eliminated.
None of the off-site locations were considered using a below grade level (b
asement) although they all could accommodate it. That's an immediate cost a
ssignment of 8-9% of the construction cost. Most of the off site properties
required NO raising of structures and ground remediation before constructi
on could begin
On-site proposals lack the cost saving of a below grade level. No serious d
iscussion of this disadvantage compared to the cost savings elsewhere.
Only single parcel sites are considered
Plan includes combining multiple parcels
Site needs to have enough space for at grade parking
Parking ramp is proposed directly across the street from the river. At grad
e parking not a requirement.
Only sites with a willing seller are considered
Property owners will have homes demolished, likely against their will. No r
equirement for 'willing sellers' apply.
No plan variations considered for off-site locations.
The concept of adapting the building to the site is continually being appli
ed to the on-site plan(s)
Off site plans rejected because the optimum jail plan would not fit.
Optimum plan will not fit downtown either. Site not rejected. Alternative p
lan after alternative plan attempts to solve the problem.
Property owners needed to contact the County to get their properties back o
n the table. County did not try very hard to find them.
Three downtown plans still on the table with more coming to the next meetin
g. No deadline exists for this plan. County has not contacted any of the af
fected people.