For the week of April 9 - 15, 2003

Jailhouse blues

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Blaine County’s jail is beyond repair and far too small to meet the needs of the area’s growing community.

That was the message from Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling to the County Commissioners last week. It was the same message Femling has tried to get the public to believe for a decade.

Believe it.

Just because voters turned down three bond issues for a new jail didn’t mean the problem went away.

Three different mindsets have plagued the jail. Some folks view a new jail as coddling miscreants. Others believe that placing prisoners in a rotting building will discourage crime. Still others simply hate to pay taxes, especially to house lawbreakers.

Such mindsets has left the county with a jail that is literally rotting. They also led to increased costs for housing and transporting inmates that had to be held in other facilities, some outside the county.

The costs have now increased to the point they will support a new jail if it is leased from a private party. A lease arrangement would eliminate the need for voter approval of a bond issue.

The Blaine County Commissioners gave a cordial reception to Femling’s proposal to lease a new jail to be built with private funds. The plan would require no tax increase and lease payments could be supported with revenues generated by the jail.

It’s a good, workable plan.

The commissioners should back the sheriff, support a new jail and rid the county of its jailhouse blues.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.