By Meg Hibbert
Contributing Writer
Salem intends to withdraw from its partnership with the Roanoke County-Salem Jail could save approximately $160,000 a year, City Manager Chris Dorsey said at Monday night’s Salem City Council meeting, and Sheriff’s officials said would also save money and time for deputies transporting inmates.
Currently, prisoners are housed in the jail until trial and sentencing, then transferred to the regional jail or other facilities.
Salem has to give two years notice to leave the current agreement, Dorsey said at the July 28 meeting. Council approved the change by a unanimous 5-0 vote in open session after a one-hour executive session that also included possible acquisition of real property. No action on that matter was taken.
Dorsey noted that Salem has a great relationship with Roanoke County, shares services and public safety initiatives, among other projects, “but at this time it just makes sense for us to utilize the Western Virginia Regional Jail exclusively to house our inmates.”
Dorsey said it costs up to $110 a day to house prisoners in the Roanoke County-Salem Jail, and only $53 a day in the regional jail.
The Roanoke County-Salem Jail opened in 1980 with 104 cells and a reported building cost of $5 million. Salem closed a downtown street and contributed other nearby property for the jail. The regional jail opened in 2009 on six acres near Dixie Caverns and has 800 beds, plus medical facilities for inmates and video conferencing for attorneys and families. Operating costs are shared by Salem, Roanoke County, Franklin County and Montgomery County.
In other matters at Monday night’s meeting, Council voted to authorize the city manager to use existing contingency funds to purchase a dilapidated house at 216 Chapman Street, behind the Salem Volunteer Rescue Squad building. The house would probably be razed, and no use noted although city officials said the property might be used for a Habitat for Humanity home build.
Council also heard from two citizens in the Citizen Comment period who urged Council to either to deny or reconsider a 171-building townhouse proposal on former Wheeler radio station property. The rezoning proposal off Newman Drive that is being requested by developer ABoone was reviewed earlier this month and recommended for approval by the Salem Planning Commission. It is scheduled to be on the Aug. 11 Council agenda.
Lauren Strong of Doyle Street, speaking on behalf of her neighbors in the townhouse proposal area, urged Council to require Boone to get a hydrology study on the 40 acres. She presented a petition with 150 signatures of neighbors. Drainage and water pooling on nearby property on Brand Avenue and Cary have been drastically affected by recent development, she said.
Karen Walker of Parkdale Drive urged Council to maintain the neighborhood character. “The townhome development would make this a less desirable place to live,” she said. Walker was concerned about only one entrance to the planned townhomes off Newman Drive. “It would be a bottleneck,” she said.
She asked Boone to withdraw his application and review it for 60 days, and requested Council to vote no on the request at the Aug. 11 meeting.
