GREENFIELD — Like almost every primary this year, the proposed new corrections facility — and the best strategy to pay for it — looms large over the Republican race for Hancock County Commissioner in District 2.
Current Commissioner Marc Huber is running for re-election against Kent Fisk, who currently sits on the Hancock County Council.
Both are aware of the pressing need for some kind relief for the current jail, where inmates currently outnumber the available beds. How best to provide that relief, is where the candidates differ.
Fisk is running for commissioner because he feels the commissioners have more sway than the council on important matters like the jail and the plans that have gone into it.
When it comes to the jail, Fisk said the county has gone about the project — estimated at $55 million to build a new jail and renovate other county buildings — the wrong way.
“When you’re buying a house, you figure out how much a payment you can afford,” Fisk said. “That determines what kind of house you look for. With this jail project, we want all this stuff, and now we’re trying to figure out how to pay for it.”
Fisk said he would like to know specifically what the county is getting for that kind of price tag. Fisk’s hope is if the new facility is built, it will have space that focuses on treatment for mental health and addiction issues and work-release options.
“It’s pretty clear that incarceration leads to more incarceration,” Fisk said. “I’m a treatment advocate. I want the people that need help to get help.”
Huber, who is running for his second term as Commissioner, pointed out that the $55 million price tag associated with the jail project is a number supplied by the county’s financial advisor.
“I’m looking at that number as a ‘Do not exceed this amount,’” Huber said. “And it’s not just a jail. Part of it is a new building, part of it is renovation to the courthouse and part of it is funding the moving of various offices.”
Huber, like Fisk, is a proponent of the new jail providing robust treatment options to help battle the opioid crisis.
“I really want to hammer on the treatment side of things,” Huber said. “We have so many repeat offenders, and I think with more options we could cut down on the recidivism.”
Huber said he wants the new jail to have the space to provide different treatment options for offenders based on what a judge deems is the best path forward for them. Huber said other counties have figured out ways to help with the treatment and thinks those practices could be implemented with the new jail.
Another of Huber’s goals is to push toward paving and improving the road system in Hancock County. He said great strides have been made in the last four years, servicing 60 percent of the county roads and cutting down on pothole expenses. He would like to see the continuation of their road plan to touch all of the county roads within the next seven years.
Fisk said one of his areas of focus is attracting the right businesses to locate to Hancock County. He said now that the county and country have pulled out of the recession, it’s time to narrow the focus of what kind of companies get tax breaks to move to the area. Fisk said he wants to entice companies that offer high-paying jobs and encourage their employees to locate to the county, not just work here.
Find out where they stand:
