Pubdate: 31 Mar 1999 Source: Oregonian, The (OR) Copyright: 1999 The Oregonian Contact: 1320 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 Fax: 503-294-4193 Website: http://www.oregonlive.com/ Forum: http://forums.oregonlive.com/ Author: David Austin of The Oregonian staff LATEST JAIL FIGHT PITS SHERIFF VS. BOARD * The dispute focuses on transitional beds for substance abusers, which Dan Noelle does not want in the medium-security facility In the three years it's taken Multnomah County officials to pick a spot for a new jail, they've run into a laundry list of obstacles: angry residents, environmentalists, budget constraints and business owners who don't want the jail near them. Most of those problems have been smoothed over. But an in-house feud from last year has erupted again. It stands to threaten what happens next with the $55 million, 225-bed, medium-security jail that's likely to go up next to Bybee Lake in North Portland. The latest chapter pits Sheriff Dan Noelle against the Board of Commissioners over whether to place an additional 300 beds for alcohol and drug treatment at the jail. Roughly 25 of those would be transitional beds for people almost done with treatment. They would be allowed to leave the facility to look for jobs or visit family. Noelle said he'll accept putting the beds at the jail, but he wants to cut out the transitional housing for security reasons and have the entire facility under his control. Four of the five commissioners don't think the beds, which are controlled by the county's Adult Community Justice Department, need to be handed over to the sheriff. Sheriff leaves talks In the past month, at board Chairwoman Beverly Stein's urging, Noelle and his staff have been working with community justice officials to come up with a solution. But Noelle has ordered his staff to pull out of the negotiations. It's the second time that Noelle has had a showdown with the board over the alcohol and drug beds. In June, Noelle nearly persuaded the county's Charter Review Committee to ask voters to consider consolidating the entire corrections system and putting it under his control. But a deal was brokered, and the sheriff withdrew his takeover bid. Now the re-emerging dispute threatens plans to get the jail built. Cruz worries about public Commissioner Serena Cruz, who represents the district where the jail probably will go, said she's more concerned about the effects the squabble will have on the public. "Our jails are filling up more and more with alcohol and drug addicts," Cruz said. "It will continue to happen if we don't try to stop it. That's supposed to be our job as county government." Noelle said he plans to keep his commitment to the community that inmates won't be able to come and go. "I'm not interested in having an outpatient facility," he said. But Stein called Noelle's words divisive. She said by raising the security issue, he's unjustly scaring the public into thinking residents would be in danger. "This should not be an argument over whether this is secure or not," Stein said. "Of course, it will be secure. But we are trying to model our own program of how we deal with things on the tail end of treatment. "I think it's unfortunate that the sheriff has cut off the discussions before things were even finished. He apparently doesn't think there's anyone who can make this facility secure enough other than his people. I don't believe that's the case." The plan to build a jail hasn't been easy since voters passed a measure in 1996 providing $55 million for it. The leading site was owned by the Port of Portland, but Port officials had no interest in having a jail near their property. They threatened to tie up the jail siting process with legal wrangling unless the county backed off. A citizens siting advisory committee appointed by the county instead picked a 35-acre wetland called Radio Tower. The county spent $1.5 million to show the site was viable, but the board yanked its support because building there would harm the wetland. The Port then re-entered the picture and agreed to sell the county a 22-acre site along Bybee Lake. The board was eager to get going with the plans until the dispute erupted recently. "I think we need to make a decision soon about what this facility is going to be," said Commissioner Lisa Naito, who supports putting at least a portion of the alcohol and drug beds at the Rivergate site. "We need to let the citizens know what direction we're going." Groups bless site Despite wrangling over the placement of the jail from some North Portland residents, a number of other neighborhood and business organizations have given their blessings. Environmental groups, such as the Columbia Slough Watershed Council and the Audubon Society, have approved putting the jail along Bybee Lake as long as certain improvements are made to sustain wildlife in the area. Now Stein and the board face the daunting task of trying to reach an accord among themselves. Although a unanimous vote isn't necessary to purchase the land, another element is at play: The board is considering putting a massive public safety levy before the voters next year. A portion of the money would be used to operate the jail, and the commissioners acknowledge that the public might not buy into the levy if the commissioners don't pose a united front. Noelle wouldn't discuss in detail why he pulled out of the talks with the Adult and Community Justice Department. He said he wants to move ahead with the jail plans and thinks a solution can be reached. Stein has turned the matter over to Cruz, who said she's hopeful a solution can be reached. "I think the burden of our inability to reach an appropriate solution is borne by the sheriff, the board, community justice staff and the other players at the county," Cruz said. "If we're unable to work out what should be some relatively simple agreements, then I'm not sure what we're all doing here." The board will vote May 6 on whether to purchase the Port property. You can reach David Austin at 221-5383 or by e-mail - --- MAP posted-by: Mike Gogulski