Okaloosa County BOCC — November 3, 2015 — Request to issue RFQ for jail needs assessment and master plan update — agenda request

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST DATE: November 3, 2015 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board FROM: Paul Lawson SUBJECT: Request to issue RFQ for jail needs assessment and master plan update DEPARTMENT: Corrections BCC DISTRICT: All STATEMENT OF ISSUE: The Okaloosa County Department of Corrections requests authorization to issue a request for qualifications to update the jail’s needs assessment and master plan. BACKGROUND: The last expansion to the jail was completed in 2003 bringing the jail capacity to 594. Subsequent to that opening, the jail population rose to an annual average of 769 with peeks in excess of 850 to 900. The County contracted with an architectural and engineering firm to design the next jail expansion, a 256-bed three story structure to be located immediately north of and contiguous with the existing jail property. While that process was underway, the jail population receded to an average of 530, dropping to an average of 472 in FY11, with the lowest counts falling to nearly 400. Consequently, plans to design and build were abandoned. The jail population has increased now to an average of 654 in FY15, with frequent counts in excess of 700. In an effort to be proactive, and to avoid costly litigation, the Department of Corrections seeks to update the master plan, so that the Board and the public can be fully apprised of the jail’s requirements in advance of the next budget cycle. The last needs assessment and master plan was completed in 2006. OPTIONS: Approve Deny RECOMMENDATIONS: Approve the request to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to update the Okaloosa County Jail needs assessment and master plan. RECOMMENDED BY: APPROVED BY: John Hofstad, County Administrator