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TOP JOBS

By ROY MAYNARD
Staff Writer

Foes in the last jail bond election stood together Wednesday to present a new plan to Smith County commissioners. Bobby Curtis, a leader of the group opposed to the 2007 proposition, was joined by Herb Buie, who led the group supporting that plan. "We've seen three different jail bond issues fail," Buie said. "Last year, Bobby (Curtis) said to me, 'Herb if this fails, we'll get together and we'll try to come up with something that will work.'"

And that's just what happened, Curtis said. The result is a proposed $59.6 million facility with 694 new beds in a jail tower adjacent to the existing downtown jail. Administrative offices would be built next to the new tower; the county would continue to use all current jail facilities.

"I was very proud of the outcome," Curtis said. "There were differences of opinion in the meetings, but through perseverance, I believe we have a plan that voters will be willing to support. There is nothing extravagant in here. But it has what Sheriff (J.B.) Smith needs."

Wednesday was the first look at the plans by the full Smith County Commissioners Court. The proposal was put together by an ad hoc committee formed by County Judge Joel Baker following the failure of a $125 million bond package last year.

"After the last bond issue failed, Judge Baker asked if I would be willing to help put together a group to build consensus and a jail plan that the voters could support," explained state Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler. "I hope and think if we make this presentation across this community, I'm optimistic we can get voter approval. We understand the economy and we understand what fuel prices are doing to people. And we put together a bare-bones plan."

In making the presentation, Baker acknowledged that voters balked at the price tag in 2007.

"I learned a great lesson: You can't have everything you want right away," Baker said. "So we kept our taxpayers in mind, and we worked toward a sensible, affordable proposal."

Commissioners took no action on Wednesday, but their response was uniformly positive.

"I think the goal of everyone in this room is to move this county forward, and I thank you gentlemen for that," Commissioner Bobby Van Ness told the group.

Commissioner JoAnn Hampton also expressed her thanks.

"I think this is an excellent project, and I hope voters will think so, too," she said. Commissioner Bill McGinnis admitted he had some doubts at first.

"When Judge Baker said he was going to try to get all the parties together, I kind of chuckled and said 'if you think you can.' But he did, and I'm very proud of him," McGinnis said.

Two members of the audience also spoke in favor of the proposal.

Don Hiefner said the plan has "a lot of good points in it."

"We utilize existing facilities and county-owned land; it's a bare bones jail, but it meets the mandatory regulations," he said. "And not least, the $59.6 million is definitely more acceptable than previous plans. I hope the Commissioners Court will now accept this plan."

Smith County Republican Party Chairman Ashton Oravetz said it was the second time he's seen this presentation.

"And I like it even more than the first time I saw it," he said. "You did a very good job. I will personally do anything I can to help get this passed." The plan could go before voters in November.