Monroe County commissioners are no closer to resolving the sheriff’s latest concerns about the new jail planning process.
Chief Deputy Phil Parker attended the commissioners’ meeting Wednesday and accused them of being dishonest in saying the selection committee had voted unanimously to select DLZ as the firm to design and build a new jail.
Sheriff Ruben Marté sent a lengthy email earlier this week, writing that members of his department had not voted. Commissioners say the decision was unanimous because committee members present during voting all chose DLZ.
Read more: Sheriff: Vote on jail firm was not unanimous, state code violation may have occurred
Parker said he is concerned about the process.
“It’s not the decision, it’s the process that was reached and the lack of transparency in that process is what we’re having issues with,” Parker said.
Parker, the commissioners and other county employees spoke over each other at several points in the meeting.
Commissioner Penny Githens said the sheriff’s office should have voiced its concerns sooner.
Read more: County council approves list of recommendations for new jail
“This was presented at a work session; it wasn’t until at least a week later that we voted on this at a public session,” Githens said. “The sheriff’s office had an opportunity for a whole week to raise these issues and decided for whatever reason not to do that. This could have been corrected without all this bruhaha and unnecessary finger pointing.”
As Githens was speaking, Parker repeatedly interjected with “behind closed doors.”
Angela Purdie, the commissioners’ administrator and the one who facilitated the selection process, went on the offensive.
Read more: County commissioners select firm to design, build new jail
“Did anyone ever think to just pick up the phone sand say, ‘Look, we have a concern about how this was presented?’ Not one person,” Purdie said.
The commissioners recommended that the committee that selected the firm re-convene, but a date for that has not yet been scheduled.
The commissioners also approved an agreement with DLZ for site review and evaluation at their Wednesday meeting. DLZ will eventually create a master plan for the jail.
