Needs, Benefits of Prop P Discussed

By Pauline Masson

Pacific Missourian Editor

The need for new jail facilities brought Franklin County law enforcement leaders to Haue Valley Farm Feb. 22 to address members of the Pacific business community.

About 50 business owners and managers gathered for the February Pacific Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting.

Both the former and present Franklin County sheriff and the Pacific police chief explained the need and benefits of a yes vote on Prop P.

The proposition, which will be on the April ballot, would authorize Franklin County to impose a new half-cent tax on all retail sales in the county for improved law enforcement.

If passed one-half of the proceeds would be distributed to the cities and towns in the county and the sheriff’s office based on the number of law enforcement officers as of Jan. 1, 2018.

The other half of the new funds is proposed to be used for additions and renovations to the county jail and 911 dispatching center.

Toelke Speaks

Retired Sheriff Gary Toelke told business representatives that the current sheriff cannot ask residents to vote yes for the measure.

“But I can,” he said. “(Sheriff Pelton) Steve will discuss the uses of the jail. I want to talk about the need for an adequate building to house prisoners.”

Toelke recounted how the jail population rose from his entry into the sheriff’s department in 1960 when Paul Bruns was the sheriff to its present overcrowded condition today.

Except for one period, when Bruns built a jail with excess space and took in federal prisoners, the Franklin County Jail has suffered from overpopulation, he said.

Officials said the current jail cannot adequately house the number of prisoners in the county. Release of nonviolent criminals while waiting trial helped ease the crowding, he said, but was not enough.

The current jail was built for 107 inmates and at times has reached 184. The day prior to the meeting, the population was 164 and the department is housing some inmates at a different facility at the cost of $50 a day.

To house 20 prisoners at another jail costs $365,000 a year.

“We have exhausted all means possible to utilize the current jail,” Pelton said.

The county routinely releases nonviolent prisoners who are awaiting trial.

“We don’t want nonviolent people in jail,” Pelton said. “We recently released 325 nonviolent people awaiting trial.”

Within the next 30 years, the county expects the average jail population to grow to 415 people.

If voters approve Prop P, the county would be able to construct a new jail in phases.

“We’d build the first story first,” Pelton said.

Better Pay

Another need, which may be more important than jail space, is the need for higher pay for Franklin County law enforcement officers, the sheriff said.

“We lost 25 percent of officers in the county in the past year to higher paying jobs in the East,” Pelton said. “We lost seven people in the past eight months, two this morning.”

The sheriff said as hard as it is for him to see officers leave his department, he understands their reasons.

“One of our outstanding officers, a man I considered a good friend, told me he had to leave,” the sheriff said. “He has a family to support and by driving an additional 20 minutes a day he can increase his pay by $20,000 a year. I understand that he has to leave. I wrote him a recommendation.”

If Prop P passes, every police department in the county and the sheriff’s department would share in half the funds raised, or one-fourth cent of the special tax. The allocation would be made based on the number of officers in the department.

“Prop P will help every department,” Pelton said. “It will close the gap in pay. And it won’t cost the individual taxpayer that much. A half cent tax on a $60 dinner bill would be 30 cents.”

Mansell Speaks

Police Chief Matt Mansell said the Pacific Police Department is the lowest paying department in the area and even though it has great officers some continue to leave for higher pay in cities to the east.

“Eureka, immediately to the east of us, starts its officers at $49,000,” said Mansell, who noted that the Franklin County Jail serves all the municipalities in the county.

“Pacific does not have a jail. We have an overnight lockup where prisoners are held until they are transported to Union,” Mansell said. “The Franklin County Jail is our jail.”

Toelke noted that the campaign to pass Prop P started with a budget of $15,000 and has raised another $15,500 to date.

“That includes a hefty donation from the Franklin County Association of Deputy Sheriffs,” Toelke said.

Mansell said donations are great and he hopes members of the public donate more to the campaign, but it’s more important to vote yes.

“You can support the proposition by talking to neighbors and putting up yard signs,” he said.

In Pacific, yard signs are available at the police department or the Chamber of Commerce office, or by calling 314-223-1052.

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