County ponders hiring consultant

JACKSON, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau County commissioners, who have refused to build a new juvenile detention center, may hire a consultant to look at juvenile department needs. Judges and juvenile authorities in the 32nd Judicial Circuit have pushed for a new juvenile center for more than a year.

Commissioners refused to move ahead with the project, questioning its need.

Hiring a consultant might help resolve the dispute, commissioners and Circuit Judge John Grimm said Thursday. The state, through federal funding, would pay half the cost, Grimm said.

The commission is looking at hiring Huskey and Associates, a Chicago consulting firm that specializes in juvenile detention planning.

Bobbie Huskey, head of the company, has estimated the consulting work would cost nearly $98,000.

"We're basically starting at square one," Grimm said.

But Gerald Jones, presiding commissioner, said the scope of work might be trimmed to lower the cost.

Jones said the commission is interested in facility planning, assessment of detention needs and development of a juvenile justice master plan.

Joe Gambill, 2nd District commissioner, said the commission also wants to know about possible alternatives to detention for juvenile offenders. Jones said the commission and Grimm hope to hold a telephone conference call with Huskey Thursday to discuss the consulting job.

No guarantee

Larry Bock, 1st District commissioner, said, "It's a good start." But he cautioned that even if a consultant is hired, there isn't any guarantee that the commission will build a new juvenile center.

Hours after the meeting, Grimm welcomed the possibility of hiring a consultant.

"I think it is an excellent step forward," he said.

But even with such talk, the juvenile center project dispute is before the Missouri Judicial Finance Commission, which will decide if Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties pay enough money to fund juvenile operations.

The three counties have contributed $365,000 annually for juvenile department operations in recent years.

The circuit judges and juvenile officials want more money budgeted for juvenile operations, which could finance a bigger bond issue for a new detention center.

Juvenile authorities had wanted a $4.3 million, 38-bed detention center. But commissioners said they can't afford it. Even a 20-bed center would cost an estimated $2.7 million. Cape Girardeau commissioners have said the counties can't afford more than a $2 million bond issue.

The current 10-bed detention center in Cape Girardeau is 27 years old. It was renovated and outfitted with electronic locks on cell doors following a fire last fall, but juvenile authorities say the building is inadequate.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123