Your View: Facing the Reality of Our Jail

Vol. III. No. 308 - Commissioner Westfall Shares His Thoughts on County Jail

As commissioners, we face big decisions every day. Our job is to guide the county, keep the community safe, and make choices that truly serve the people. We work with other elected officials, department heads, and staff to provide essential services, from law enforcement and courts to public health and infrastructure.

One of the toughest decisions we face is the Miami County jail. You may wonder why we can’t just fix the building we already have. The truth is, the jail has been patched and maintained for decades. It opened in 1972 and, while it has served the community for more than fifty years, today’s challenges have outgrown what the facility can handle. Mental health issues, addiction, and modern safety standards require more than simple repairs.

Renovation might sound cheaper or easier. But even with major work, the core problems remain. Tens of millions of dollars later, we would still be short on space, safety, and functionality. State standards and the building’s design mean even with renovations, a large portion of beds would be lost.

For decades, we have done what you would expect: fix what breaks, maintain what we can, and stretch the building’s life. But a jail runs twenty-four-seven under constant pressure. Maintenance alone is no longer enough.

That is why we are proposing a new maximum-security jail just south of the current lower-security facility on County Road 25 A, on land the county already owns with infrastructure in place. Shared services like laundry and food help control costs. Moving the facility also frees the downtown site for other county priorities. Miami County is one of the few counties in the region that has grown over the last census and is expected to keep growing. Using this space wisely ensures we plan for the future without unnecessarily expanding government.

Safety is the bottom line. The current jail cannot properly separate inmates by security level, and many arrive in crisis with mental illness or addiction. These conditions put constant pressure on staff, who work long hours in outdated, cramped, and unsafe spaces to keep everyone as safe as possible. This is about accountability, public safety, and a system that works for everyone.

Doing nothing is not free. When the jail cannot meet demand, costs are shifted to emergency rooms, repeated law enforcement calls, court backlogs, and families watching loved ones cycle through a system that cannot meet their needs.

So how do we pay for it? A half-percent sales tax is being proposed and will be on the May 5ballot. That means just five cents for every ten dollars spent on taxable items. Groceries and medicine are not taxed, and all revenue goes directly to construction. One advantage of a sales tax is that visitors to Miami County also help pay, sharing the cost beyond local residents. By law, the tax ends when the project is paid off, with a maximum of 10 years.

We want you to see the conditions for yourself. Tours and open houses are scheduled ahead of the May vote. Walk through the building, ask questions, and see firsthand what is happening. If the scheduled times do not work, we will make time. Contact me, my fellow commissioners, or the sheriff. Sign up here: http://www.tinyurl.com/miamicountyjailtour

Government works best when citizens are informed and engaged. Taking the time to understand the issues, ask questions, and participate is how we build a safer, more accountable, and better-prepared Miami County. Your voice matters. This is your chance to see the need, weigh in, and have a say in the solution.

Wade H Westfall, President

Miami County Board of Commissioners

Wade H. Westfall is President of the Miami County Board of Commissioners, serving communities across the county. He has spent decades leading development projects, revitalizing downtown areas, and serving on multiple nonprofit boards and foundations. A longtime advocate for youth sports, he is President of the Midwest Ohio Baseball League, helping provide safe, quality opportunities for children. Wade lives in downtown Troy with his wife, Susan, and is the proud father of four and grandfather of seven.

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