LORAIN — City Council’s Police and Fire Committee discussed the possibility of closing the city’s jail Monday night less than two years after it reopened.

“We don’t think it’s in the best interests of this community to not have a jail,” said Safety Director Phil Dore, “but obviously with layoffs facing us, we have to do something to reduce expenses so we decided to start looking at everything we possibly could to save the jail.”

The administration and the Police Department found several ways to cut as much as $100,000 in expenses at the 12-hour holding facility.

Cuts in food service and sharing laundry service with the county jail are just two areas where cuts could be made. But that means the city still needs around $200,000 to keep the jail open, Dore said.

“I don’t think it’s really beneficial, if we can financially run it, to close it at this point,” Police Chief Cel Rivera told Council. “We just spent $350,000 to renovate that jail.”

The city closed the jail in 2004 rather than spend $1.5 million to bring it up to code. The city opted to turn it into a holding facility rather than a full time jail. It reopened in May 2008 and final renovations finished up this year.

Dore said he needs a few more weeks to investigate possible savings as well as funding.

“At that point we’re going to have to see where this community sits as far as the need for and the ability for the City to provide a jail,” Dore said.

Several Council members voiced objections to closing the jail, citing overcrowding at the county jail that would just put offenders right back on the street for lack of space — particularly now that the City of Elyria has closed its jail.

“I don’t think we even want to look down that road,” said Councilman Tim Howard, D-3rd Ward.

Contact Alicia Castelli at 329-7144 or acastelli@chroniclet.com.

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