'Frustrating': Monroe County commissioners suspend jail advisory committee

After nearly two years of contentious meetings, dead-end discussions, accusations and animosity, the Monroe County commissioners Wednesday suspended a committee they appointed to provide data and advice on a new criminal justice complex.

"Meetings have become incredibly frustrating," commissioner president Julie Thomas said. "Instead of a thoughtful exchange of ideas ... it has become adversarial. It's running on this loop and we're not moving forward with much of anything."

The surprise action and unanimous vote came during a work session convened after the commissioner's meeting Wednesday morning.

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Commissioner Lee Jones said committee members were "pulling in different directions" and said she was disturbed by accusations the commissioners are unfairly conducting business regarding the jail without public or committee input. "A lot of the time it feels like we're on trial," she said.

Commissioner Penny Githens suggested suspending the committee meetings until further notice; Thomas and Jones agreed in a 3-0 vote.

On the committee are all three county commissioners, three county council members, two judges and one representative each from the sheriff’s office, public defender’s office and prosecutor’s office.

The commissioners said they would assign the judges and representatives from the public defender and prosecutor's offices to present a plan on how the court system can move cases along more quickly so fewer cells will be needed in the new jail.

The search for a location for new Monroe County justice complex

In the meantime, the commissioners will continue searching for a site, and they won't have to do so under the watchful eye of the public.

County attorney Jeff Cockerill explained for cost and strategy reasons, it makes sense for county officials to keep site negotiations quiet until a deal is struck. The law lets them meet in a closed executive session for site selection talks.

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But, he said, "There's nothing in the law that says you can't have those discussions publicly." The actual selection of a site for the justice center would have to be voted on during a public meeting.

Githens said she just wants to move forward with the project, which was getting mired down with the twice-monthly criminal justice response meetings that often ended on a sour note with not much accomplished.

"I am not in favor of continuing to punt this down the road while people sit in that awful, awful facility," she said, referring to the current, dilapidated jail. "I want progress and I want it now."

Thomas said what's required is focus, "and we cannot be paralyzed by the process," suggesting the committee had lost sight of its advisory role.

"The CJRC is not a decision-making body. These are not decisions for the CJRC to make," she said. Where the jail is built, its size, the cost and the kind of treatment and services offered will be determined by county commissioners and council members.

"We will be as transparent as possible, as often as possible" as the planning moves forward, Thomas said.

Sheriff Ruben Marté accused of untruthfulness

Also during the work session, county attorney Lee Baker explained the process used by members of a committee the commissioners appointed to review three jail architect proposals and choose the best one.

He took issue with Sheriff Ruben Marté's claim, outlined in a lengthy email to county officials earlier this month, that the process was not done in a transparent manner as promised and that the public was deceived by the process.

Transparency or deliberate deception? Sheriff Marté complains about jail planning process

Angela Purdie, the commissioners' assistant, cried tears of relief after Baker explained how he doesn't think anything nefarious happened. He said no laws were broken when the committee she served on selected DLZ as the best firm to design and build the jail.

Marté's email accused Purdie of misleading the public about the selection process by having committee members fill out score sheets more than a week after they had interviewed the prospects.

"I have felt very attacked by the email," she said, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "I so appreciate someone other than me giving the truth."

Githens was emotional as well, tearing up as she lamented the adverse impact she said the sheriff's email had on the county staff involved in selecting the architect.

Jones, too, weighed in on the issue, saying it was "extremely unpleasant to see our staff attacked in such a gotcha way."

'It's done': Commissioners fire back amid accusations over jail design firm selection

Baker said several times that the sheriff's email was not rooted in truth. "The process we followed was good. We stand by it," said Baker, one of six on the architect selection committee. He called the sheriff's reaction to the process unwarranted and "untruthful."

Marté wasn't at the work session, but viewed it later and bristled at Baker's assessment.

"Am I upset about being called a liar? Yes. It's a shameful thing for an officer of the court to say," the sheriff responded Wednesday night.

And he's not happy about the work of the CJRC committee winding down. He's been a member since taking office in January.

"I was surprised they didn't tell us about it Monday when we were all there for the CJRC meeting," Marté said. "Maybe they got beat up so much by the general public they need a break."

Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Monroe County commissioners suspend Justice Response Committee