Q&A from Sept. 29 Grand Oaks Meeting

Traffic improvements on 53rd Street could be made in conjunction with the bond measure.

Yes, please see Correctional Facility Establishments and Neighborhood Housing Characteristics, by Kelly McGeever, 2018

Proximity to a neighborhood was one of many site selection criteria.

Overall, the proposed facilities require no excessive lighting. For example, there will not be searchlights or anything designed that is beyond the lighting required by code for walking paths, parking lots, and door entries.    

On release, adults in custody will have several options for transportation including being met by family or friends, public transportation, transportation by the CORE Team or Sheriff’s Office to the Crisis Center, possibly leveraging the Sheriff’s court transport process to downtown (assuming the new Courthouse is not on site), or use of multi-model paths, whether on foot or by bicycle.

The County does not own the land at the Airport Industrial Park; it is owned by the City of Corvallis. Justice system facilities do not align with the City’s economic development plans for the Airport Park. The City’s concern was not centered on property valuation, but preserving City-owned land for economic development.

By definition, when adults in custody are released, they are released into the community.

Currently, the County releases adults in custody downtown, not far from the public library and residential housing. If a new correctional facility is constructed on either of the proposed suburban sites, the County is committed to providing options for adults in custody on release to get to where they want to go.

The goal of the Justice System Improvement Program is not a higher incarceration rate. The goal is to:

• Reduce the rate of recidivism, i.e., repeat offense and incarceration. 
• Reduce the rate of failure to appear at Court hearings. Failure to appear results in high cost of staff time and creates an increased risk to community safety. 
• To bring the use of cite and release closer to a best practice rate, and eliminate it for repeat offenders.

We are repurposing the Board of Commissioners Office for use as a Crisis Center. The jail has been remodeled and expanded to the extent possible since it was built in 1977. DLR Group studied repurposing or upgrading the existing jail and concluded it was not structurally or financially feasible. DLR Group also studied repurposing other County facilities, either for the structure or use of the land. These facilities were rejected for various reasons, including displacing existing services, construction limitations, zoning, etc. Other downtown sites were explored, but none met our requirements.

The west site is inside Corvallis City limits. The County’s objective is to provide a public transit solution, whether extension of existing bus route or creation of a governmental services shuttle, to the justice system campus.

DLR Group’s estimates indicate that while the rate of construction cost escalation will likely slow, it will not retreat. Looking ahead, it is unlikely the proposed new Correctional Facility will ever cost less, and more likely the cost will continue to climb.

In the unlikely event that an adult in custody escaped the Correctional Facility, the County can activate a reverse 911 system, which would contact residents in the nearby vicinity. Response plans would depend on situational factors. The County, even with its outdated jail, has not had an escape in over 20 years.

We will continue to explore contingency plans and alternatives as the November 2022 bond measure approaches.

All of the commissioners support the Justice System Improvement Program. The final details of the proposal for a bond measure will be decided in spring 2022. Contact information for Benton County Commissioners is available at https://co.benton.or.us/boc/custom-contact-page/board-commissioners-cont....

A site in the City’s Airport Industrial Park was considered. The County does not own the land at the Airport Industrial Park; it is owned by the City of Corvallis.

Justice system facilities do not align with the City’s economic development plans for the Airport Industrial Park. There is not another industrial area in Corvallis’ Urban Growth Boundary that meets the needs of JSIP and offers a viable property. There is not sufficient space downtown, for purchase or renovation, to accommodate a single-level correctional facility (a multi-level facility was deemed operationally cost-prohibitive).

All of the proposed functions/facilities exist within Corvallis city limits today. The importance of locating the proposed new facilities within or immediately adjacent to Corvallis’ Urban Growth Boundary is to provide utility services at a reasonable cost. Additionally, the proposed justice facilities are part of a system – that work together – their close proximity supports best practices. Traditionally, Because Corvallis is the Benton County seat, and more than 60% of the County population is located within the city, an urban site provides the best accessibility to potential clients, adults in custody and family members.

The Crisis Center is an important part of the larger criminal justice continuum. The County has made the decision to create the Crisis Center by utilizing existing county property, which significantly decreases the cost of the center. The future Crisis Center will include trauma-informed space to best meet the needs of the individuals being served.

The size of the facility directly impacts the cost of the facility. The Crisis Center will provide approximately 7,000 square feet for care and treatment. This is in comparison to the projected 59,000 square feet for the county corrections facility. 

While the Crisis Center will need some safety precautions, safety and security are not the primary focus. Safety is the primary focus for the Correctional Facility. That directly impacts the costs of both facilities.

Yes, and more easily than driving or taking public transit to Polk or Wasco Counties.