Panel OKs study of new Huber facility Nusbaum favors using the old jail for Huber inmates, while a committee wants to explore a new building By Jeff Decker News-Chronicle The Brown County Public Safety Committee voted Monday to explore options that would bring the county's work-release detention facility in line with state codes, while launching a study that could lead to building a new facility. The committee passed a resolution that would let "Brown County go forward with the concept of building a new Huber (work-release) facility ..." If the Executive Committee and County Board approve the resolution, the Public Safety Committee would then be able to hire consultants and evaluate costs of different options, Chairman Sup. Harold Kaye said. "This leaves us open to go anyplace with this, wherever it's most reasonable to build," Kaye said. An amendment Monday eliminated the phrase "near the Mental Health Center" from the resolution to broaden its scope. A study done last year estimated a $6.7 million total cost to build a Huber facility next to the new jail, with 35.4 personnel. The new jail is scheduled to open June 23. If the present Brown County Mental Health Center were renovated for the Huber inmates, costs could be $9 million and take 44 people to run, while continued use of the downtown jail for Huber inmates would cost an estimated $6.6 million and require 49.2 personnel to meet state codes, the study said. If the County Board had not approved a $39.7 million in bonding for a new mental health center at its April meeting, the state oversight department would have issued immediate citations for violations at the old center. "Just like they've been with the Mental Health Center, the state has been very accommodating, knowing that we've had a new jail coming," County Executive Nancy Nusbaum said. She believes the present jail, once brought to code, is the answer for work-release inmates. Sup. Brett Bicoy of the Public Safety Committee pointed to the present Mental Health Center. "My hope is that we can use existing facilities as much as possible, to minimize the cost to taxpayers," Bicoy said. In April the Public Safety Committee authorized spending $350,000 budget dollars to rip out cellblock doors and renovate the visiting area of the current jail to meet state codes. Those dollars were allocated last November for that purpose. Kaye said the extra personnel needed downtown will probably make a new building the best option. "Fourteen extra people times $60,000 per year - you could almost buy a new building within eight or nine years," Kaye said. Nusbaum said it's unlikely she would support any plan that abandons the downtown jail. "I would have to hear some pretty huge arguments to convince me that this county, at this point, needs to take on another major construction project," she said. She refused to say if she would veto any other plan, however. In her six years as executive, Nusbaum has never used that power. "I've never seen this board do anything that was irresponsible to the taxpayer," she said.