The topic of where a proposed new jail facility will be located was on several people’s minds last Monday evening as some local residents attended the DeKalb County Commission’s regular monthly meeting at the DeKalb County Complex. Several in attendance spoke up during public comments, voicing their opposition to some proposed locations and building of the facility itself.

At the commission’s workshop meeting on March 24, the commission identified two new potential locations for a jail which had not been previously discussed, including 33 acres on West Main Street and 71.5 acres known as Smith Road properties on Smith Road. Two other properties have been identified since that meeting, including 40 acres on Robinson Road and 84 acres on Twilla Lane.

During the public comment session of Monday’s meeting, several local residents including Jonathan Bradley, Darcie Cripps, and Kathy Slager, addressed concerns about the county’s plan for a new jail.

Paul and Jodie Miranda, who live on Creekside Drive in the Smith Road neighborhood, also spoke at the meeting, with Jodie Miranda suggesting that the county consider building the jail on the 15-acre county-owned transfer station property, in the Smithville Industrial Park, instead of proposed locations on Smith Road and West Main Street.

“I’m here with information and voice my total opposition to consideration of the new county jail being built on the Smith Road property located about half a mile directly east of Northside Elementary School. Property originally purchased and approved for annexation into the city limits for a large residential development. Per the city mayor’s office that Smith Road property would not have been annexed into the city for building a jail,” said Paul Miranda.

“To me, it’s obvious that the Smith Road location is not remotely suitable for a jail or a county complex. But current Tennessee state law allows county governments to buy land and not have to abide by any zoning restrictions as long as they build county facilities on the property. Yes, they can build whatever county government facilities they want.”

“Regardless of current plans talked about, if they later decide to add a county mental health facility or a county drug rehabilitation center, they could. And the notion about ball fields on the same property is just ridiculous. That’s an attempt to put lipstick on a pig and tell us it’s Miss America. As a parent and baseball coach, I’m certain people don’t want to have their kids playing ball right next to a jail.”

“Such close proximity to an elementary school, already designated for multi-million-dollar expansion to take students from Smithville Elementary should be a disqualifier. In an era of school safety and security to keep kids safer, anything that lowers current school safety and security standards should be rejected right out of the gate. Not one tax dollar should ever be spent that potentially makes a school even one percent less safe.”

“In the last year, six new family homes have been built and sold on West Smith Road. Nineteen more are being built in the next 12 months, designed to attract first time home buyers. With another proposed 120 home development off Twilla Lane. Exactly the kind of growth Smithville city wants. Not the growth the county commission is proposing. Homes close to an elementary school and downtown areas are especially desirable. Being right next to a county jail, not so much”.

“In closing, I hope everyone realizes that this is not just a Smith Road neighborhood, district 4 issue. It’s an all of Smithville and DeKalb County issue. This particular decision affects every family with a child or children at Northside Elementary, those who will come from Smithville Elementary, and future parents and families that move into DeKalb County. It’s truly a multi-generational decision. So, as a commonsense community, we can send a clear message of NO for this proposed location. As I’ve already said, it’s not just the Smith Road neighborhood. Its everyone’s neighborhood,” said Paul Miranda.

“I too strongly oppose the plan to purchase property on Smith Road or West Main Street to build a jail in a residential neighborhood, close to a school,” said Jodie Miranda. “A jail on either property would be dangerous for the community’s children and citizens”.

“I’m very familiar with incarcerated individuals and jail overcrowding, after 16 years as a correctional officer in California. I spent five years in the classification unit interviewing inmates and deciding where they should be housed. I’m well aware of the caliber of people arrested and the violent crimes of some county jail inmates. I do not want those citizens near my family or neighbors”

“Many issues exist with building a jail on Smith Road or West Main Street. A jail would drastically reduce home values, pose a safety risk for families, diminish privacy, add noise, and bring in undesirable citizens. Traffic would be created by patrol vehicles, staff, and public doing inmate related activities like visitations, bail, and pickups. Northside Elementary School has a lot of traffic, which will increase after adding the new school. A jail, and possibly courtrooms, dispatch center, sheriff’s department, and EMS, built right down the road is an infrastructure nightmare.”

“Lastly, please consider building on the 15-acre county owned transfer station property. The city owns a 20-acre parcel with a small portion being used as a dog park and parking lot. The city’s acreage is next to the county transfer station property, and acquiring some of the city’s acreage would add additional land for a jail. You recently discussed selling the county owned property located behind the police station to the city. If the county and the city work together, maybe an agreement could be made that benefits everyone,” said Jodie Miranda.

During the meeting, commissioners voted to invite the public to the Jail Committee meeting to be held Monday, April 7 at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of the county complex to discuss locations for the new jail, and to allow the public to ask questions to the commission about the project. The committee will discuss potential locations and try to give the pros and cons of each location, including property near Walmart on West Broad Street and the current jail location on the public square.