Jamesville, N.Y. — Onondaga County Sheriff Toby Shelley told a state corrections commission he can’t merge the prison and jail at this time, according to a letter from the commission.
The commission, which regulates correctional facilities in New York state, is now requesting more information about the county’s proposal to merge the Jamesville Correctional Facility and the downtown jail.
On Friday, Allen Riley, the chairman of the commission of correction, sent a letter to County Executive Ryan McMahon requesting the specifics of the county’s plan to merge the Jamesville prison into the Onondaga County Justice Center jail.
The Onondaga County Legislature is set to vote Tuesday on the proposal. The plan calls for closing Jamesville prison by April 1.
In the letter sent Friday, Riley writes that Shelley -- in response to a previous letter listing the commission’s concerns -- said that his office is “presently unable” to consolidate the two facilities.
The letter also states that the commission can enforce the regulations and minimum standards set by their agency for correctional facilities by petitioning for a judicial order.
Riley writes that the commission intends to send representatives to the county’s correctional facilities to perform an evaluation to determine whether the merger is feasible.
Justin Sayles, a spokesperson from the County Executive’s office, said the commission does not have the power to block the proposed merger. He said the county executive’s office has not seen the letter as of Friday afternoon.
On Friday, Shelley said that once the study is completed his office will cooperate with whatever the commission decides.
The sheriff’s office will not move any inmates or staff until the commission rules it is safe, said Tom Newton, a spokesperson for the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.
After hearing an overview of the request made by the commission, Sayles said that they will be providing all the information the commission is requesting.
“Assuming a vote Tuesday is in favor,” Sayles said, “that is the beginning of a process that would absolutely involve consulting and sharing the very information this letter seems to be requesting to ensure that this is done correctly, responsibly, and in accordance with the law.”
The proposal to merge the two facilities was announced by McMahon and former Sheriff Eugene Conway in December -- just one month before Shelley took over the office. McMahon said discussions about the proposal started in 2019.
McMahon said consolidating the prison into the jail will solve ongoing staffing issues and save taxpayers money.
He said the timeline of the proposal was accelerated after the county received a legal letter warning them they are in violation of a 2014 lawsuit settlement. McMahon said they can fix the violation through the merger.
Shelley has been a vocal skeptic of the proposal. He has asked the county for more time in office to see if he can solve the staffing issues that have contributed to the violation of the settlement.
The unions representing the correctional officers and custody deputies have also raised concerns about the impacts on their members.
Onondaga County Legislature Chairman Jim Rowley said Tuesday he sees no reason to delay the vote.
The Jamesville prison can hold 538 inmates. It opened in June 1983 and cost $9.8 million. The Justice Center in Syracuse opened in 1995. While the Justice Center is primarily a holding facility, the Jamesville facility mostly serves convicted individuals sentenced to a year or less in prison.
More Syracuse.com Coverage:
McMahon, Conway propose closing Jamesville Correctional Facility, moving inmates to Justice Center
Sheriff-elect Toby Shelley and union presidents concerned about plan to consolidate county jails
Onondaga County exec proposes closing Jamesville prison by April 1; vote likely next week
Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.