The Catskill Chronicle

NYC Commissioner of Corrections Thomas A. Beilein (to his right: Richard Kinney, Supervisor Commission of Correction.

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

Down in the belly of the beast.

After a tour of the jail on Wednesday, January 23, NYS Commissioner of Corrections Thomas A. Beilein called it the worst he’d ever seen, and announced at a public meeting later that evening that he’d ordered the entire third floor closed, likening it to “a dungeon.”

Joining the state’s top corrections official and NYSCOC Supervisor Richard Kinney on the tour were representatives from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, jail administrators and a representative from the NYS Governor David A. Paterson’s Office.

More than 100 local folks turned out to attend the special meeting held at the hearing room of the county government center, and although they were invited to submit written questions to the commissioner, verbal questions/comments were prohibited.

Chairman Beilein holds the distinction of being the only former sheriff in the history of the NYSCOC to serve as chair, and as Niagara County Sheriff from 1994-2008 (at which point he was appointed to the chairmanship by the governor) ran a jail with an average population or 450 inmates.

The public meeting attracted a standing room only crowd.

He said that based upon his tenure as a county official, he was sensitive to the economic stresses mandating the construction of a new jail facility will have on Sullivan County, one of the poorest in the state, but would not be deterred in his determination to order the construction of a new jail to protect the health and safety of both jail personnel and inmates.

“Your jail is crumbling,” he said, noting that while the jail itself is the worst of the worst he’s seen during his two years in the post, the jail staffs are some of the best.

“You have some excellent employees working for the sheriff and working in that jail,” added Beilein.

The booking area is part of the original 1909 facility.

He said that upon entering the booking area, part of the original 1909 facility, he saw exposed wires and numerous other safety concerns,  calling the possibility of serious injury to staff and/or inmates “really tremendous.”

“It’s not a good structure…it’s a structure that’s deteriorating…it’s completely unacceptable…” said Beilein.

He said that while touring the ca. 1950’s section of the jail things are a little better but still need to be fixed, “But we would approve them on a short-term basis.”

Then he gave his report on a walkthrough of the 36-cell modular unit constructed in 1989, designed for a five-year life span.

Sullivan County Sheriff Michael Schiff addresses the audience.

Twenty-one years later, Beilein said jail administrators pointed out sagging ceiling supported with pieces of angle iron and the horizontal bars on cell doors warping from the pressure of a slowly collapsing structure.

He noted that a NYSCOC 1989 report on the SCJ noted 96 violations of minimum standards.

“I don’t see where things have changed, but the cost of construction has changed,” said Beilein.

After the public meeting, SC Manager David P. Fanslau talked in detail about the process of building a new jail facility.

According to County Manager David P. Fanslau, the current estimated cost of constructing a new jail facility for about 250 inmates is approximately $70 million.

He said this would mean a 10-percent increase in local property taxes, but continuing to board out (the practice of sending SCJ inmates to other jails outside the county at local taxpayer expense) would result in a 10.2-percent rise in taxes.

“Nobody wants to hear about ‘poor inmates,’ but the reality is that many of our inmates aren’t convicted of anything until [it’s] determined if they are guilty or innocent,” said Sullivan County Sheriff Michael A. Schiff.

“It’s not a safe environment…I don’t think there’s anybody in this room who would work under these conditions, but our employees do it day in and day out.”

Sullivan County District 1 Legislator David A. Sager.

Sullivan County District 1 Legislator David A. Sager received a round of applause when, as the only legislator to tackle the issue head on before the commissioner, he pleaded for some relief on imposing the construction of a new jail on a county strapped for cash.

“We have been borrowing from Peter to pay Paul,” he said. “And now Peter’s on the floor with nothing left to give.”

Beilein replied, “I understand the stress on counties, but I am responsible for the health, safety and security of the inmates and the corrections officers, and I will not let these conditions persist.”

“I won’t turn my back, and I will not walk away from it…steps should have been taken before January 2010 to address this situation; it’s not going to go away.”

Col. Hal Smith, SCJ Administrator explained jail operations.

Perhaps former Sullivan County Sheriff Daniel Hogue summed it up best when he said before the meeting, “In the good times they procrastinated, now in the bad times I think the state’s going to make ‘em do it.”

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