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Panel calls for jail to close in 10 years
Web posted
Saturday, January 13, 2001
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By Sylvia Cooper
Grand jurors toured the jail, also known as the Fourth Street Jail or 401 Walton Way, which houses violent offenders, in December and found it to be well ordered but concluded a single-story jail would be cheaper.
Grand jurors also called for the next regular grand jury to continue an inspection of the city's Housing and Neighborhood Development Department. The department was investigated by the office of Inspector General in 1999 at the request of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and subsequently had to pay back $750,000 in fines as a result.
Director Keven Mack emphasized to the grand jury that the fines resulted from practices that occurred when the department was under the old city of Augusta.
Mr. Mack also responded to public allegations of biased program funding by stating that the department's decision-making was not influenced by public officials or influential members of the community.
The report of the outgoing November grand jury did not address the serious allegations and complaints of shoddy work on numerous homes rehabilitated through the department's rehab program.
A recent investigation by The Augusta Chronicle found many of Augusta's elderly and poor homeowners were severely disappointed with the work.
The department funds the rehab program with money - $1.5 million this year - the city receives annually from HUD to rehabilitate the residences of low- and moderate-income homeowners.
Projects are bid out to independent contractors whose work is overseen by the department's inspectors.
Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228.
Staff Writer
The regular Richmond County Grand Jury returned presentments Friday calling for the jail at the Joint Law Enforcement Center to be closed in 10 years and operations moved to an expanded Phinizy Road Jail.
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