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October 21, 2009

By KIM SMITH DEDAM The Press Republican Wed Oct 21, 2009, 09:14 PM EDT

WESTPORT — The three men running for Essex County sheriff faced off Tuesday night over the new jail and its budget.

The Westport Town Hall was filled to the back wall as the North Country League of Women Voters moderated a political forum featuring incumbent Sheriff Henry Hommes and challengers Robert Kirby and Michael “Ike” Tyler.

Voters provided questions on index cards when they came in. The issue of jail budget and best use was a central point of concern.

Moderating from the league was Betty Ann King.

OPENING UP

Kirby drew the straw to open first and provided background on his career as a police officer in Florida before they moved here to live near his wife’s family in Wilmington.

“This is where my stake is now,” he said.

Kirby is a master-level police instructor, taught at a community college, is former town justice for Wilmington and is a longtime volunteer EMT and captain of Wilmington Fire and Rescue.

Tyler, who was born and raised in Westport, shared concerns he said he has heard while campaigning, in particular the “skyrocketing budget” in the Sheriff’s Department.

Working on the Westport Town Council, he said, fiscal restraint was based in tough decisions.

“We had to say no.”

Hommes opened by saying one of the accomplishments he is most proud of in 12 years on the job is managing the challenge the county was dealt by state corrections and building the new jail.

“Size of the facility is not a decision I make. It’s a decision the Board of Supervisors makes. To build a 120-cell jail cost the same as building a 90-cell jail. I am also proud to say we are bringing in $1,000,017 (housing outside prisoners) as of the end of September. You are now getting a return on that money.”

STAFF TRAINING

Candidates were asked about the biggest challenge they will face and how they would handle it.

“The central issue in the campaign is the jail,” Kirby said, adding the County Jail budget has risen from $3.3 million in 2006 to $4.2 million in 2009.

“Until we get that under control — and we’re spending more than we need to — there’s not much else we can do.”

Tyler said his main concern would be training the staff at the jail.

“It’s a 120-bed prison. And now we’re getting federal inmates in. Folks, they’re real inmates. I know how to handle these inmates.”

Tyler said his priority would be “training the staff properly to manage that jail, and safely.”

Hommes responded to his challengers, saying six people in the Sheriff’s Department are certified as correction officers and police instructors.

“We have all of the training we need. All of these federal prisoners are not murderers and rapists. Anybody who has gone to a (state prison like) Comstock, Dannemora, has gone through a County Jail before. So we deal with them all.”

BOARDING INMATES

King asked candidates if they think boarding prisoners helps this area.

“We have no choice now,” Tyler said.

“I’ve talked to a majority of the officers out there, and the feeling is they are not being properly trained. I’m really concerned for their safety.”

Kirby said the county is “not bringing in enough to cover the jail” for operating costs or boarding. “We’re not generating enough revenue to cover it.”

The solution, he said, is to reduce costs.

“I do have a plan to do that.”

Hommes said that from the day that supervisors decided to build a 120-cell jail, the Sheriff’s Department has looked for ways to bring in additional revenue.

“We’re going to work everything we can to bring in money. And that is going to help you and lessen the tax burden.”

CLOSING OUT

Hommes won the Republican primary and is also running for re-election as a Conservative and an independent.

Kirby and Tyler are running as independents.

In closing comments, Kirby said the jail is costing county taxpayers a lot of money, calling it “a noble concept” that was “poorly executed.”

His goal would be to reduce expenses.

“It is the additional cost of maintaining extra staff that is killing us.”

Hommes said complex regulations govern the jail operation.

“If we built a 60-cell jail, we wouldn’t have saved that much money. (State corrections) requires you to use only 80 percent of your beds so if there are fights, you can separate people.”

Tyler closed by pointing to a close primary race.

“Obviously, there are some issues.”

He suggested people cast their vote for him if they want a change in the way the Sheriff’s Department is run.

E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at:

kdedam@pressrepublican.com