Calvert Seeks to Trim Jail Expansion Costs

Engineers to Review $22 Million Project

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By Christy Goodman

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 11, 2008; Page SM03

Calvert County commissioners are looking for ways to cut costs on the county's planned $22 million jail expansion and new substance abuse treatment center.

The project, which would be funded primarily with county bonds, would consist of a new wing at the jail and a work-release center. The work-release center would be created by renovating a substance abuse center, and a new substance abuse center would be built across the street.

The county should "look at this thing for consolidation or cost savings," Linda L. Kelley (R-At Large) said Tuesday during the commissioners' regular meeting. "At these times, we need to be responsible."

But Susan Shaw (R-Huntingtown) said that trying to consolidate the projects would delay them. Commissioners asked county engineers to take another look at the plans for ways to save money.

The county plans to request bids for the work-release center next week, with a decision on a contractor expected next month. It will seek bids on the substance abuse center next month.

The jail, built in the 1970s, was expanded in the mid-1990s, said Sharon Strand, the county's capital projects coordinator. It has enough beds for 172 prisoners, but that capacity was reached in 2003 and 2004, she said. Now, about 250 prisoners a day are being housed at the jail, she said, and more than 300 are projected for 2011.

"We have some areas that are triple-bunked or quadruple-bunked," said Milton M. Crump, the jail's administrator. He said that when the 122-bed work-release center is finished, he will be able to double-bunk cells in the jail.

The expansion, expected to be completed by 2013, "would address the county's needs for the next 15 years," Strand said.

Calvert is not alone in its need for more jail space.

St. Mary's and Prince George's counties are planning multimillion-dollar expansions of their detention centers, and there are preliminary talks among Southern Maryland officials for a regional facility.

St. Mary's County has a three-phase, $36 million project planned that would bring the county jail's capacity to more than 500 beds. Prince George's is also about to break ground on two housing units that would hold nearly 200 beds. That project is expected to cost up to $14 million.