LATEST JAIL FIGHT PITS SHERIFF VS. BOARD

* The dispute focuses on transitional beds for substance abusers, which Dan
Noelle does not want in the medium-security facility

In the three years it's taken Multnomah County officials to pick a spot for
a new jail, they've run into a laundry list of obstacles: angry residents,
environmentalists, budget constraints and business owners who don't want
the jail near them.

Most of those problems have been smoothed over. But an in-house feud from
last year has erupted again. It stands to threaten what happens next with
the $55 million, 225-bed, medium-security jail that's likely to go up next
to Bybee Lake in North Portland.

The latest chapter pits Sheriff Dan Noelle against the Board of
Commissioners over whether to place an additional 300 beds for alcohol and
drug treatment at the jail.

Roughly 25 of those would be transitional beds for people almost done with
treatment. They would be allowed to leave the facility to look for jobs or
visit family.

Noelle said he'll accept putting the beds at the jail, but he wants to cut
out the transitional housing for security reasons and have the entire
facility under his control. Four of the five commissioners don't think the
beds, which are controlled by the county's Adult Community Justice
Department, need to be handed over to the sheriff.

Sheriff leaves talks

In the past month, at board Chairwoman Beverly Stein's urging, Noelle and
his staff have been working with community justice officials to come up
with a solution. But Noelle has ordered his staff to pull out of the
negotiations.

It's the second time that Noelle has had a showdown with the board over the
alcohol and drug beds.

In June, Noelle nearly persuaded the county's Charter Review Committee to
ask voters to consider consolidating the entire corrections system and
putting it under his control. But a deal was brokered, and the sheriff
withdrew his takeover bid.

Now the re-emerging dispute threatens plans to get the jail built.

Cruz worries about public

Commissioner Serena Cruz, who represents the district where the jail
probably will go, said she's more concerned about the effects the squabble
will have on the public.

"Our jails are filling up more and more with alcohol and drug addicts,"
Cruz said. "It will continue to happen if we don't try to stop it. That's
supposed to be our job as county government."

Noelle said he plans to keep his commitment to the community that inmates
won't be able to come and go. "I'm not interested in having an outpatient
facility," he said.

But Stein called Noelle's words divisive. She said by raising the security
issue, he's unjustly scaring the public into thinking residents would be in
danger.

"This should not be an argument over whether this is secure or not," Stein
said. "Of course, it will be secure. But we are trying to model our own
program of how we deal with things on the tail end of treatment.

"I think it's unfortunate that the sheriff has cut off the discussions
before things were even finished. He apparently doesn't think there's
anyone who can make this facility secure enough other than his people. I
don't believe that's the case."

The plan to build a jail hasn't been easy since voters passed a measure in
1996 providing $55 million for it.

The leading site was owned by the Port of Portland, but Port officials had
no interest in having a jail near their property. They threatened to tie up
the jail siting process with legal wrangling unless the county backed off.

A citizens siting advisory committee appointed by the county instead picked
a 35-acre wetland called Radio Tower. The county spent $1.5 million to show
the site was viable, but the board yanked its support because building
there would harm the wetland.

The Port then re-entered the picture and agreed to sell the county a
22-acre site along Bybee Lake. The board was eager to get going with the
plans until the dispute erupted recently.

"I think we need to make a decision soon about what this facility is going
to be," said Commissioner Lisa Naito, who supports putting at least a
portion of the alcohol and drug beds at the Rivergate site. "We need to let
the citizens know what direction we're going."

Groups bless site

Despite wrangling over the placement of the jail from some North Portland
residents, a number of other neighborhood and business organizations have
given their blessings.

Environmental groups, such as the Columbia Slough Watershed Council and the
Audubon Society, have approved putting the jail along Bybee Lake as long as
certain improvements are made to sustain wildlife in the area.

Now Stein and the board face the daunting task of trying to reach an accord
among themselves. Although a unanimous vote isn't necessary to purchase the
land, another element is at play: The board is considering putting a
massive public safety levy before the voters next year.

A portion of the money would be used to operate the jail, and the
commissioners acknowledge that the public might not buy into the levy if
the commissioners don't pose a united front.

Noelle wouldn't discuss in detail why he pulled out of the talks with the
Adult and Community Justice Department. He said he wants to move ahead with
the jail plans and thinks a solution can be reached.

Stein has turned the matter over to Cruz, who said she's hopeful a solution
can be reached.

"I think the burden of our inability to reach an appropriate solution is
borne by the sheriff, the board, community justice staff and the other
players at the county," Cruz said. "If we're unable to work out what should
be some relatively simple agreements, then I'm not sure what we're all
doing here."

The board will vote May 6 on whether to purchase the Port property.

You can reach David Austin at 221-5383 or by e-mail at
davidaustin@news.oregonian.com.