Jail Expansion Plans Rankle Sebring Council Members

SEBRING - Although funding will not be available for expansion of the Highlands County Jail in the next 10 years, a block of downtown Sebring could eventually by usurped by a detention facility.

City Council members had their first look at the jail's plans for expansion at the Jan. 15 meeting during a discussion about the Sebring Parkway, but they had a hard time focusing on that topic and instead discussed the jail.

The Board of County Commissioners has been handling the jail expansion process because administration of the sheriff's office is part of the county's responsibilities. City Council members said because the jail is in the heart of the downtown, they want to be involved in the process as well.

"I think the city needs to be part of these discussions about the location and the expansion of the jail," said City Council member Jeff Carlson, who added that the jail is in the middle of the community redevelopment zone.

Pete Pollard, executive director of Community Redevelopment Agency, said because of the building's location in the CRA district, it would have to go through the design review process.

City officials are still unsure whether the land would have to be rezoned or if the county is exempt from zoning regulations. If zoning changes are needed, the planning and zoning commission would make recommendations that would ultimately need the City Council's approval.

Sheriff Susan Benton said the county is currently in the process of purchasing all land along Eucalyptus north and east of the current jail facility to the Sebring Parkway. The purchased land was originally intended for county staff parking, but now will include a jail facility as well.

Preliminary plans for the 20-year build out of the jail show two one-story buildings, one two-story building and one three-story building, which would extend across Eucalyptus Street via a covered overpass.

Benton said the proximity of the jail to the courthouse is the main appeal of housing inmates downtown.

"Once you begin to move inmates away from court services, you increase your security risks," Benton said. "By bussing inmates in from other areas, not only are your costs higher for transportation, but you have security concerns as well."

Benton said many law enforcement agencies that move the jail out of town later regret the strain it puts on deputies who have to transport the inmates.

Council member Margie Rhoades said although having jail in downtown may be easier for law enforcement, she is concerned about the safety of the citizens of Sebring

"The people who like the jail downtown are law enforcement, not the people with businesses and homes downtown," Rhoades said. "With it being so close to both schools, I'm not thrilled about having so much jail down there. You essentially have a middle school with 800 students and a high school with 1,500 students and a jail in the middle."