NELSONVILLE, Ohio — At its regular meeting on Sept. 9, Nelsonville City Council discussed pedestrian traffic — specifically concerns about “safety issues” allegedly posed by former detainees of the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail walking along Riverside Drive.
The council did not make any proposals or offer any solutions at the meeting. City Law Director Jonathan Robe told the meeting attendees that he considers the discussion a “work in progress” with SEORJ. The city’s collaboration with the jail has been troubled for decades, the council noted.
“Recently, [SEORJ] released someone who was still high on PCP, who threw a guy’s chair through his front window, and caused $50,000 worth of damage, then called the police on himself,” Councilman Justin Booth said. “I’m tired of waiting on their work-in-progress. I want action.”
The Independent has requested records from the Nelsonville Police Department to verify Booth’s statement.
“It will require a bit of delicate handling because we’re dealing with the jail but I’m hopeful that we can come to a good resolution that meets the needs and security of the residents,” Robe, who attended remotely via, said.
Robe said he had spoken with law enforcement about the issue. One police chief suggested coordinating with the jail to get those released bus rides “out of town.” Councilman Tony Dunfee said that a rideshare program was proposed in the past, “which no one wanted any part of,” he said.
“County commissioners that set rules for the jail need to be held responsible,” Dunfee said. “If this were happening in the great city of Athens, it would be a non-starter. The discussion would be over the first time [a person released from SEORJ] walked on Ohio University’s campus.”
No councilperson or audience member mentioned risks to pedestrians along Riverside Drive.
The discussion included comments about shoeless former detainees walking along Riverside Drive during the winter months. Booth noted that there is no law that keeps one incarcerated until they are able to secure a ride away from such a facility, a suggestion posed by a meeting attendee. Another in the crowd proposed bussing those released who are from other counties, “back to their counties.”
“They can bus them to Columbus, for all I care,” Booth said.
“We were all raised, as children, to pick up our things when we are done. Same goes with your criminals that you drop off in our jails,” Dunfee said.
It was not clear if Dunfee was referring to the responsibility of private citizens, the county, or that of law enforcement, who most usually coordinate incarceration facility drop-offs.
SEORJ opened in 1998 and serves Athens, Hocking, Morgan, Perry, and Vinton counties. Often at its maximum capacity of 218, SEORJ received $1.9 million from the state in 2021 for facility upgrades.
Nelsonville City Council meets every other Monday of each month, at Nelsonville City Council Chambers, 211 Lake Hope Drive. Its next regular meeting will be Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. Meetings are livestreamed on YouTube. Find more at cityofnelsonville.com.
