NATCHEZ — Two reports agree the Adams County Jail has serious issues, but diverge significantly on how those issues should be addressed.

An estimate from a report by Johnny Waycaster of Waycaster and Associates Architects in Natchez suggests repairs at the Adams County Jail could cost between $1 million and $4 million if the county decides to maintain the current downtown State Street location. The Waycaster report says the building is “too good to consider abandoning.”

A report by Benchmark Construction Company — the feasibility study commissioned by the county Board of Supervisors and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office earlier this year — does not list prices but instead gives four scenarios for the future of the jail, recommending it ultimately be replaced.

County supervisors will hear a formal presentation from Benchmark at their meeting Monday. The Benchmark study was completed free to the county, though the agreement specifies that Benchmark will be paid for the study if the county decides to move forward with a new jail.

“I think they are probably going to walk us through the report and tell us what plans they have come up with,” Supervisors President Darryl Grennell said. “I have heard no estimate on cost at this time.”

The Benchmark presentation comes on the heels of an order by circuit court judges Forrest “Al” Johnson and Lillie Blackmon Sanders requiring the county board and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office to form a partnership looking into the cost of upgrading the current county lockup on State Street or replacing it.

Both studies were commissioned prior to the order, and the supervisors said they believe the reports will meet the demands of the court order. Sheriff Chuck Mayfield raised the idea of building a new jail to the board nearly a year ago, citing concerns about the structure itself and its ability to be brought up to current correctional standards.

The three-page Waycaster report focuses primarily on issues related to the structure itself, while the 31-page Benchmark study examines correctional code compliance and operational strengths and limitations within the facility in addition to the structural integrity of the building.

The Natchez Democrat obtained both reports in advance of Monday’s meeting through a public records request.

The Waycaster report

The Waycaster report was in the form of a letter to County Administrator Joe Murray dated Dec. 2, 2013.

In the letter, the architect reported his observations on the jail’s conditions after a walk-through with jail administrator Ed Tucker. The walk-through was completed at the request of the supervisors after initial discussions about replacing the jail began last year.

Waycaster wrote that hairline cracks in many interior locations of the building should be caulked and monitored, but did not appear related to the structural integrity of the building. Deteriorating mortar and masonry, however, presented an immediate concern as pieces were falling off exterior walls, the letter states.

“This condition presents a very real safety hazard along sidewalks and other pedestrian ways,” the report states. “The entire exterior wall surface will require inspection and possibly repointing.”

In another area, an entire exterior wall will require removal and reinstallation, the report said.

The jail roof is in need of repair and allows water into the building’s exterior walls, and there are obvious leaks in the third floor ceiling, the report states, and the roof system in place is not a good one for the building.

“An entire roof replacement, with a system better suited for this region, is essential in order to repair and maintain the building,” Waycaster reported.

The building’s ventilation systems need repair or replacement — and in some instances, initial installation, the report said, with excessive humidity from toilets and showers causing mold and mildew.

In other concerns, while correctional space appears adequate, administrative space does not, the report states.

“The current administration is managing existing space as well as can be expected,” it says. “The facility is neat and orderly. However, staffing has more than doubled since the facility was designed and space is limiting operations.”

A 10,000 square-foot addition can be added to the rear of the building to address the need, the report states.

Other code violations would likely need addressing because of the age of the building, the report states, noting that during the visit a gate in the correctional area was being repaired.

“The problems that exist at the Adams County Jail facility are significant,” it says. “All present very real threats to the longevity of the building, and in some cases, to the safety of inhabitants, employees and the general public. All of the problems are repairable.”

Waycaster’s early best-guess estimate for the repairs — including an addition — is $3.5 to $4 million, with approximately $2.5 million of that sum being the estimated amount for the addition, meaning only repairing the existing structure might cost between $1 million and $1.5 million.

“The existing facility is structurally sound and the listed repairs will render it serviceable for many more years,” the report states. “Repair/addition cost will be half (or less) the cost of a new facility.

“The building’s condition is much too good to consider abandoning.”

The construction of the facility renders much of it useless for anything other than a jail or storage, the report states, and demolition costs would exceed those of basic repair.

Murray said the county did not receive an invoice for the Waycaster report.

The Benchmark report

The Benchmark group completes feasibility studies and tailors financing plans for prison systems. Previous projects Benchmark has worked on in Mississippi include the Simpson County Justice Complex and the Tate County Jail.

The supervisors approved Benchmark’s feasibility study at Mayfield’s request.

In addition to the concerns the Waycaster report addresses, the Benchmark report highlights ways in which the building is in violation of current American Correctional Association guidelines, including providing inadequate cell space, having no daylight in most areas and no outdoor exercise area. Those guidelines factor into a facility being able to receive accreditation by the ACA.

It likewise does not have a sprinkler system, a smoke evacuation system or a contained evacuation area for inmates. Cells must be manually opened and the multi-story structure of the facility complicates any possible evacuation. Jailers don’t have direct line-of-sight supervision of prisoners in the current jail.

The jail is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the kitchen has numerous code violations and mold is present throughout the building, the Benchmark report states.

It likewise mentions inadequate space of laundry, special programs or services or storage, and highlights operational security concerns such as a lack of perimeter fencing and containment areas around the building.

Benchmark also highlighted space limitations and concerns at Metro Narcotics and in Justice Court (housed in a separate building) — where inmates make their initial court appearances after arrest — in the report.

“While some of the deficiencies are grandfathered in due to the age of the building, the county faces the problem of being insurance rated due to those problems,” the Benchmark report states. “In particular, the lack of a sprinkler system and smoke controls will present major issues.”

The most pressing issue is a lack of space, the Benchmark study states, and the three-story design of the building significantly limits what can be done.

“There is no space for expansion, either inside or surrounding the jail. There are functions such as Metro Narcotics and (the Crime Investigation Department) that need to be brought into the sheriff’s physical space for operating and security purposes,” it says.

“To operate safely at a maximum efficiency, the sheriff’ s department needs at minimum three times the current square footage and the jail support functions need twice the current space with an optimal layout and design for efficiency and safety.”

The building is at the end of its useful life for its intended purpose, the report states.

The four options the report lists as responses to its concerns are to do nothing; renovate the existing structure; contract with another county to house inmates; or relocate and build a new structure.

Renovation is not possible because of the current facility design and the costs it would incur, Benchmark concludes, while doing nothing would expose the county to liability issues.

Contracting with other counties “is not an option that needs to be considered,” the report states, while relocating and building a new structure “is the most reasonable solution.”

The presentation

Benchmark’s presentation will be at 8 a.m. Monday in the boardroom at the supervisors’ office.

Grennell said he wants the board to get in compliance with the court order, and Benchmark may be able to help them with that.

Supervisor Mike Lazarus said he’s not inclined to build a new jail.

“We have several issues, but I don’t think there is a way we can’t fix the one we’ve got a lot cheaper than to build a new one,” he said. “I don’t see how we can do anything with any of it without raising taxes. We don’t have the funds to build a new one.”

Lazarus said the county is already fixing some of the issues in the report — mold, for example — and installing a sprinkler and ventilation system should be cheaper than a new building.

“If they want sunshine, I wonder how many of them are volunteering for the county litter crew,” he said. “That is an opportunity to get out and exercise every day. I am not here to violate anybody’s rights, but jail is not supposed to be a picnic.”

Board attorney Scott Slover said the supervisors would look at limiting the discussion to the cost of a new jail only.

“We want them to tell us what is the cost to build a new jail that does have the standards we need,” he said. “That is what we are limited to. We don’t want to talk about a new building for the sheriff or new potential other things. We are just focusing on the cost of the jail — getting everything up to code, no bells and whistles and complying with the court’s order.”

An Adams County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson deferred any comment about the matter to the supervisors and the board attorney.

Supervisors Calvin Butler, David Carter and Angela Hutchins could not be reached for comment.