Voters defeat bonds for new county jail
Nov. 4—Hunt County voters Tuesday narrowly rejected a proposition which would have allowed the issuance of bonds to build a new Hunt County Jail and Criminal Justice Center.
"Obviously, I was disappointed," said Hunt County Judge Bobby Stovall.
The $75 million bond proposition fell in a light turnout of voters. The Hunt County Voter Administration Office reported a total of 5,436 voters cast ballots during Tuesday's elections, which also included measures for new school buildings in Commerce and Lone Oak, a property tax freeze for senior citizens in West Tawakoni, a sales tax to pay for improving streets in the new town of Poetry and eight proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.
The total was approximately 9% of the county's registered voters.
While the jail bond measure was leading following the release of early vote totals, the margin rapidly closed as the results of Tuesday's voting continued.
The unofficial final vote totals had the proposition receiving 2,586 votes for (48.72%) to 2,722 votes (51.28%) against.
What happens next was still being worked out as of Wednesday morning, but Stovall was certain of what would occur eventually.
"We'll get it set for a vote the next time, because we need a jail," Stovall said.
It was unknown Wednesday how soon another bond proposition measure can be placed before voters, although Stovall believes it might be another two years or so before it can be rescheduled.
The short term is another story, as the problems with the jail are not going away anytime soon.
"We'll keep propping it up as best we can and hope we don't have to transport prisoners somewhere else," he said.
The issues concerning the jail have been discussed frequently in recent years, as the condition of the facility continued to deteriorate.
During an early October presentation at the Hunt County Economic Development Alliance luncheon, Stovall said the detention center was literally falling apart and has been since it was built in 2003 due to the original construction of the building, which has multiple walls being braced to keep them from falling in, supports which have been in place since before the jail opened.
The county filed lawsuits against multiple companies and individuals and eventually received about $6 million in settlements, much of which went to pay architects, engineers and contractors in efforts just to keep the jail standing.
The building continues to have cracks throughout the ceilings, walls and doors, with constant sewer stoppages and water leaks.
Some of the cell doors don't operate and sensors in others cannot determine if there is an inmate inside or not.
Stovall said one option would be to transport the 300 some odd prisoners back and forth to other locations, at a cost of approximately $60 per prisoner per day, or $1,800 per prisoner per month, if there was a facility anywhere near which could take all of them.
The new facility was to be built on acreage large enough to allow for future expansion if needed and to add other offices.
Stovall has said a courts building would be attached to the criminal justice center. Courtrooms cannot be added or expanded onto the Hunt County Courthouse, because as it is a historic building and is only supposed to hold the 196th District Court.
The vote totals are unofficial until canvassed by the Hunt County Commissioners Court and the individual cities/school districts conducting the elections.
