Dutchess County Jail, on Hamilton Street

POUGHKEEPSIE – The one thing that is clear about the Dutchess County Jail is that it is overcrowded.  Everything else seems to be open to debate.

County Sheriff Adrian Anderson pled his case, once again, to county legislators on Monday, this time during what was scheduled to be brief reports from all county department heads on what their jobs entails.

Both the executive and legislative branches of the county government agreed overcrowding in the county jail needs to be dealt with, but disagreed on who should act first.

When asked how long the county is going to pay millions of dollars to house their inmates in surrounding county jails, legislature Chairman Roger Higgins replied, “That is a question you’re going to have to ask next door. The county executive took any reference to an addition to the jail out of the capital plan for next year.  It has always been in the capital plan, we just never addressed it.  I’m not too sure what the state’s reaction to that will be.”

County Executive William Steinhaus defended his actions, and pushed blame for the inactivity on the jail problem on the legislature.

 “The legislature has to make a policy decision,” claimed Steinhaus.  “They’ve put nothing on their agenda in the nine months into 2008 even though they said in January this was going to be their top priority.  As the executive, we’ve had nothing come to our desk.”

Higgins said that although the legislature can place the jail addition back onto the capital budget, Steinhaus’ removal of the item is “evidence he doesn’t see the problem.” 

Appointed county department heads gave brief tutorials to county legislators on their duties and what their respective department’s functions and responsibilities entail during the special meeting, in an effort to educate freshman legislators.