Jail reopens after 955 days

By ALBERTO TOMAS HALPERN

PRESIDIO COUNTY – The Presidio County Jail opened its doors to prisoners Wednesday morning, 955 days after county officials closed it on June 13, 2009.

Shuttered just 140 days shy of three years, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards Tuesday gave the county lockup a passing grade, giving county officials the green light to start taking local, state and federal prisoners.

“The inspection started at 10am and ended at 12:30 pm,” jail Administrator Mary Bryne said Tuesday afternoon. Byrne referred all other questions to the sheriff.

The 112-bed facility, employing 17 people plus five dispatchers, can now begin accepting inmates at full capacity, though it won’t fill the 112 beds immediately.

“Everything went well and everything passed,” Sheriff Danny Dominguez said shortly after the inspection.  “They congratulated me and that’s it,” Dominguez said, referring to state jail inspectors.

Dominguez explained that the U.S. Marshal Service would have to conduct its own inspection and walk-through of the jail, which took place Wednesday. Upon that inspection, the county can immediately begin holding federal inmates.

The Marshal Service will pay the county jail $65 per inmate per day, up from $38 after County Attorney John Fowlkes negotiated a new rate in 2010.

“It’s great news,” Fowlkes said after learning of the outcome of the jail inspection. “It’s been a long time in the making.”

Fowlkes, along with other county officials and jail employees, spent Tuesday morning at the jail during the inspection process.

“Everybody was really thrilled; all the jailers; it was a great feeling,” Fowlkes said with excitement. “Everybody at the courthouse is thrilled. Everyone from the federal level on down is excited. I can’t say enough about how excited I am.

The good news couldn’t have come at a better time as county officials had discussed earlier this month the possibility of laying off jail employees had the jail failed its inspection.

“It’s good news for jail employees and good news for us,” county Treasurer Mary Williams said. “The way I had calculated, their last paycheck would have been January 31” had the jail not passed inspection.

She did explain that the county would still have an uphill battle.

“It’s a financial hardship for maybe six weeks,” said Williams. “If we can get it up this month we can carry it. I think we’ll be fine. At this point I’m comfortable.”

At a county commissioners meeting Tuesday evening, just hours after the jail passed inspection, commissioners and County Judge Paul Hunt were very pleased with the outcome of the inspection, thanking Dominguez and jailer Sergio Carrasco who were in attendance.

“We’re very glad, very thankful for efforts you put into this,” Hunt said to Carrasco, who helped take on the role of construction and facilities manager for the jail, a job he was not hired for.

“You should be applauded. I will say personally that your personal contribution added a lot of clarity,” said Hunt, who also thanked the Dominguez and Byrne.

Commissioner Frank ‘Buddy’ Knight also applauded the jail staff, “I saw everyone making an effort to get that jail working.”

Dominguez smiled and told commissioners, “We’re good to go. I appreciate your time and patience and money to complete this. I know we’re behind but we’ll catch up.”

Commissioner Carlos Armendariz looked at his fellow commissioners, Carrasco and the sheriff and added gleefully,

“Bring that money in.”

The public is invited to an Open House from 10am to noon Friday, January 27 at the Presidio County Jail.