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County: Juvenile center plan will return By PETER WONG Jackson County commissioners say a new juvenile center still is their top priority, but they differ about the timing of a third bond measure. They spoke Tuesday after Measure 15-2, a $16.5-million bond issue for a new building in downtown Medford, won a majority of votes cast but failed to reach 50 percent of registered voters participating. The measure led in partial unofficial returns, 20,033 to 14,326, but it failed because less than half the county's 104,000 registered voters cast ballots. "We have to get a juvenile facility, so I guess we will have to keep presenting it to the people," Commissioner Sue Kupillas said. "But we have already promised library supporters a chance to go on the ballot, no matter what happened to the juvenile center bond measure. So we will have to sit down and talk about it." Kupillas said she heard no negative comments about the latest juvenile center measure, which was $6 million less than a bond measure that voters defeated last year. Measure 15-2 proposed 40 beds for detention of young offenders, instead of 60. But it retained 16 new shelter beds for youths who need a short separation from home, and expanded space for classrooms, counseling and courtrooms. The current 20-bed juvenile center in Medford's South Gateway shopping area dates back to 1957. "I think if there is enough in favor, we have to look seriously at going to the voters again in next year's general election, when the double-majority requirement does not apply," Commissioner Jack Walker said. "But I think we have to analyze it seriously in view of what might happen next year." Walker said he might be wary of asking voters to approve new projects, including a juvenile center, if measures that reduce property taxes for county government qualify for the 2000 statewide ballot. Walker also said if Congress guarantees higher federal payments for timber-dependent Oregon counties, Jackson County might be able to draw enough to build projects without asking for bond issues. Commissioner Ric Holt said he agreed with Walker. "I know we promised the library its turn," Holt said. "But the juvenile center is certainly the top priority, not from the standpoint of locking up young offenders but from the standpoint of keeping them from doing crime again _ and you do that through education." Alan Young, county juvenile services director, said he expects supporters of a bond issue for library system improvements will get their chance next year. "This board created a sequence of when capital projects will be placed before the voters," he said. "I think the understanding all along is that the libraries should be next up. We will see how that develops. "We have been in this building a long time. I guess we will be there a little longer." Young said he was encouraged by the margin in favor of the juvenile center bond this time, unlike last year, when the bond issue fell short by 500 votes of more than 50,000 cast. The Jackson County Library Advisory Committee is preparing to offer recommendations for a bond issue for improvements to 14 libraries in the county system. Ashland's city bond issue, which passed Tuesday, would be folded into a countywide measure. "Tonight's results clearly reflect the hard work of Ashland library supporters, and they are to be congratulated," said Scott Rayburn of Medford, advisory committee chairman. "We can only hope that when the rest of the county goes forward with a bond proposal to rebuild the other libraries, we can put to work some of the lessons Ashland has taught us." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA