The repair needs of Orleans Parish jail have recently been a contentious subject between the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office and the New Orleans City Council. Sheriff Susan Hutson is pressing for about $1 million, highlighting that $300,000 to $400,000 is needed for emergency plumbing repairs, as severe leaks behind the walls threaten the functioning of the jail. An OPSO plumbing contractor, brought in to assess the damage, told WGNO that a pressure change had caused the pipes to burst, resulting in leaks throughout the building.
Yet, during a recent special council meeting, the city council seemed skeptical of the urgency presented by Hutson. Louisiana Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack noted that Hutson has about $5 million in emergency funds, which could cover the renovations needed. "Yeah I think they would have plenty of dollars to do any major renovation," Waguespack said. Councilman JP Morrell echoed this sentiment, questioning the need for the allocation of city money as there were no prior notices of such severe plumbing issues, as covered by WGNO.
Adding to the urgency, according to WDSU, Hutson mentioned that the jail, which is only a decade old, has significant infrastructure problems not limited to plumbing. These issues could bring an estimated repair cost of $900,000, while a short-term resolution to the water leak itself may need $300,000 in funding. These alarming figures come despite the sheriff's office having a healthy fund balance of $8.4 million, with $5 million designated for emergencies. Furthermore, the sheriff’s office plans to work with a state legislative audit team to review funding streams.
The dispute escalated during a city council meeting where Hutson warned that if the city does not allocate funds for repair, then the parish jail could be shut down. Hutson stated, "This is an emergency. If we shut down the jail ... the plumbing could shut down the jail." However, council president J.P. Morrell rebutted by highlighting the sheriff’s department’s existing funds. "Listen to what you're saying right now. You have money on-hand to alleviate and prevent the jail from shutting down. Yet you're here, in front of cameras, saying 'If you don't give us money, the jail is going to shut down.' We're not near there yet," Morrell argued, as reported by FOX8Live. Morrell also questioned why these issues became critical after an escape of 10 inmates from the jail on May 16 and urged the OPSO to use the same accounting software as other city departments for better transparency.
A meeting between city staffers and the OPSO was scheduled to follow up on the matter, but talks have yet to yield a concrete plan for jail repairs or funding allocation.
