City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: OCTOBER 8, 2014
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER/s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution Concurring with the Governing Bodies of Alexandria and Other Local Governments and the Peumansend Creek Regional Jail Authority Approving Amendments to the Authority's 1996 Service Agreement, and Consideration of a Resolution to Withdraw Membership from the Authority. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a resolution to concur with the Cities of Alexandria and Richmond, the Counties of Arlington, Caroline, Loudoun and Prince William (collectively "Governing Bodies") and the Peumansend Creek Regional Jail Authority ("the Authority") to make amendments to the Authority's 1996 Service Agreement. Consideration of a resolution to announce withdrawal from the Authority effective June 30, 2017.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve the attached resolutions (Attachments 1 and 2).
DISCUSSION: The City of Alexandria and the Governing Bodies entered into an agreement with the Authority on August 19, 1996 to retain prisoners on their behalf. The original agreement states that prisoners who have committed or are charged with certain types of offenses are ineligible for assignment to Peumansend Creek Regional Jail. These limitations have made it impossible for some of the jurisdictions to utilize the full capacity for which they pay the Jail. The agreement states that modifications can only be changed by agreement of all the Governing Bodies and the Authority.
The amendment of the 1996 Service Agreement changes Section 3.1, Acceptance of Prisoners, to state that no individuals currently charged with, or currently serving a sentence for the crimes of capital, first or second degree murder, rape, armed robbery, felonious sexual assault or felonious kidnapping, will be selected for assignment to the Peumansend Creek Regional Jail. This amends the Agreement from "ever being convicted of . . ." to "currently charged with, or currently serving a sentence for the crimes of capital, first or second degree murder, rape, armed robbery, felonious sexual assault or felonious kidnaping." This amendment will allow more flexibility in the type of prisoners which can be sent to the Peumansend Creek Regional Jail.
It is proposed that the City of Alexandria withdraw its membership from the Authority effective June 30, 2017. Sheriff Lawhorne concurs with this withdrawal. The agreement requires that a jurisdiction must communicate its intention to withdraw by ordinance or resolution prior to September 1 of the fiscal year that the jurisdiction intends to withdraw. This advance notice gives the City and the Authority time to make arrangements due to the City's discontinuation of the agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
In Fiscal Year 2018, the City will realize an annual savings of $525,000 from not participating in the agreement. In addition, the City should receive payment for its allocated beds in the Peumansend Creek Regional Jail facility which will be transferred to another jurisdiction. This amount is to be negotiated. This is the annual amount currently being paid as a member of the Governing Bodies to the Authority.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Peumansend Creek Regional Jail Authority Amendment Resolution
Attachment 2: Peumansend Creek Regional Jail Authority Withdrawal Resolution
STAFF:
Debra R. Collins, Deputy City Manager
Dana Lawhorne, Sheriff
James L. Banks, Jr., City Attorney
Jerome Fletcher, Special Assistant to the City Manager