Lincoln County Commissioners and other officials during a meeting this week responded to questions and concerns of citizens about the upcoming election on a new jail and setting up a county-wide ambulance service.
The election is scheduled for Tuesday, July 13. All eligible voters in Lincoln County may cast a ballot.
It was pointed out each proposition requires only a 50 percent majority of the vote to pass.
For nearly two hours they explained the two separate propositions, detailing them, providing the history that led up to calling the election and citing the need for both.
County Sheriff Charlie Dougherty said, “The jail is my biggest headache. We get a lawsuit out of it every month.”
The proposed jail would have 151 beds, with 50 possible slots to house people who have been arrested on federal charges and are awaiting trial. The county would get $64 a day for each of those people in the jail.
He said remodeling the existing jail is not an option because remodeling would make it subject to new space rules and requirements and would reduce its capacity to a 55-bed facility.
Chandler resident Kim Huffman, who said she lives near the proposed jail, asked about other possible locations.
“I can’t in good conscience vote for something that makes a bigger, badder-looking jail. A penitentiary style fence is not desirable,” she said.
Dougherty said other locations might be possible, but could incur additional expense to acquire the land.
According to a fact sheet on letterhead from County Assessor Jackie Holcomb, passing the jail question would raise taxes by up to $55 a year on property valued at $100,000 and could remain in effect for up to 30 years. Approving the ambulance question would raise taxes by $33 a year on property valued at $100,000 and would be a permanent increase unless voters remove it.
The formation of an Emergency Medical Services District and the construction of a new jail are separate ballot questions to be voted on at the July 13 election.
The resolution on the jail issue stipulates the general obligation bonds will not exceed $13.5 million. They will be used to provide funds for acquiring real property, if necessary, and designing, constructing, equipping, furnishing and maintaining a new Lincoln County Jail to be completed with or without the use of other available funds.
Ad valorem taxes will be required to pay off those bonds, but the increase on real property in the county will be limited to five mills, the resolution states, and the bond issue must be paid off within 30 years.
If approved, the ambulance issue will include setting up a 522 District with a board of approximately five to seven people who it will oversee it. It will include the levying and assessing a new special annual recurring ad valorem tax of three mills on the dollar of assessed valuation, in addition to all other levies upon all taxable property in Lincoln County.
One person inquired about the percentage of the money collected that would go to the 522 Board. An official responded, “100 percent of the money will go to the district for the ambulance service.”
Another person inquired about using CARES money for either or both of the issues.
County Commission Chairman Lee Doolen explained, “That $6.7 million is being invested because we don’t know how that can be used. The federal government has been vague on it,” he added.
If the ballot measure is approved, it will provide funds for the support, organization, operation and maintenance of ambulance and emergency response services in Lincoln County.
The version commissioners approved that will be voted on allows the flexibility that if in the future present ambulance services no longer wanted to be in the business, commissioners could then set up their own by not having to go back to voters and ask them for approval.
The Floyd Law Firm, P.C., has been hired as special counsel to the county in connection with the special election