I took the opportunity to tour the Blaine County Jail in December and saw first hand why we are being asked to vote on a bond issue for a new facility. It was truly an eye-opening experience. That such an antiquated and dilapidated public facility should exist in our county in this day and age is beyond comprehension. We certainly do not owe those held in the jail a five-star experience, but we do have a responsibility to provide humane living quarters. It is also imperative to provide a safe working environment for our public service employees.
It is our obligation, as members of the community, to pay for adequate public safety facilities. The county commissioners and sheriff have developed a sound physical and economic plan to provide for a reasonable new jail, the current Sheriff's Department needs, and a centralized dispatch center to handle the new countywide E-911 system. This benefits the residents of Sun Valley as we rely on these county facilities to supplement all our city's law enforcement and emergency service needs.
I urge the voters of Sun Valley to support the County Public Safety Facility Bond by voting "yes" on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
Nils Ribi
Councilmember, City of Sun Valley