Atlanta Council approves effort to lease jail space to Fulton County

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – On Monday, the Atlanta Metropolis Council authorized to lease jail house on the Atlanta Metropolis Detention Heart to Fulton County.

“It truly is time to do one thing to handle our brothers and sisters and constituents who’re held in horrible situations via no fault of their very own, solely via their case,” stated Councilmember Michael Julian Bond, who sponsored the proposal.

The lease settlement should be authorized by Fulton County.

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners is ready evaluate this proposal on Wednesday.

“We’re ashamed that the Metropolis voted this laws up. This was unhealthy laws from the beginning. It nonetheless is unhealthy laws,” stated Devin Barington-Ward, spokesperson for Communities Over Cages Alliance.

“Nevertheless, this 90-day evaluate provides us a possibility to not have a lease that isn’t knowledgeable by knowledge.”

Supporters, together with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, stated it is a humanitarian transfer to assist with overcrowding on the County jail.

The vote comes after months of public outcry.

On Friday, roughly 300 healthcare staff rallied condemning the proposal to lease the town jail to the sheriff’s workplace.

“It’s nicely documented and actually fairly straightforward to look at that the basis reason for crime are poverty, trauma, psychological sickness and habit. And the options for these are accessible assets, scientific remedy and group help,” a former nurse for the sheriff’s workplace jail pleaded on the rally.

Makes an attempt by some metropolis councilmembers to delay the vote failed on Monday.

An modification to refer the merchandise to the Finance Committee for additional analysis additionally failed.

Essential councilmembers stated the proposal lacks adequate knowledge to ensure the settlement is in one of the best curiosity of the inmates and in one of the best curiosity of the Metropolis.

Based on the Metropolis, Atlanta’s work to develop and open the Heart for Diversion and Companies as a part of the repurpose of the ACDC property is on monitor to open in 2023 and shall be unaffected by this settlement.

“We’re additionally confronted by an actual and speedy disaster of overcrowding on the Fulton County Jail. Many of those detainees are Atlanta residents, and our conscience calls us to behave,” stated Mayor Dickens, in an announcement final week.

“This momentary lease settlement will enable the Metropolis of Atlanta to play a job in assuaging this humanitarian disaster and supply the time needed for Fulton County to develop and implement a long-term answer.”

Earlier than the vote on Monday, there was roughly three hours of public remark – the overwhelming majority of audio system have been towards opening the town jail to county inmates.

Amongst those that spoke was state lawmaker Josh McLaurin, who has served as a member of Georgia’s Home of Representatives since 2018.

McLaurin urged the town council to vote towards the lease settlement proposal.

“In case you care in regards to the overcrowding, the humanitarian disaster, the council has a possibility to ship a message not simply to Fulton County however to any sheriff county that doesn’t take a burgeoning, exploding jail inhabitants significantly,” stated McLaurin, in the course of the public remark interval.

“And that message is clear up that mess. We aren’t going to wash it up for you, not even for a minute, as a result of it’s not our job,” stated McLaurin.

Dickens stated he intends to take a position all income from the settlement in public security, diversion companies and homelessness companies.

The Council handed an modification on Monday that binds the lease settlement to 4 years.

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