Umatilla County Community Corrections gets a new home

HERMISTON – Umatilla County Community Corrections has run out of room at the Stafford Hansell building in Hermiston. Board of Commissioners Chairman John Shafer said it was obvious that a solution was needed, with only one question needing to be answered.

“Do we put a modular building in at about $300,000 and do a Band-Aid fix, or do we buy the VFW Hall for $450,000 and have a permanent solution,” he queried.

The board approved a permanent solution, approving the purchase of the vacant Veterans of Foreign Wars Desert Post No. 4750 on West Cherry Avenue. Shafer, who is the board’s liaison with Community Corrections, said the building will be renovated.

“We’re going to do a full renovation down to the studs,” he said.

Shafer said the renovation won’t be as costly as it sounds. Umatilla County Community Corrections Director Dale Primmer has a plan that will cut down dramatically on the cost of labor. “If the judge says you’ve been sentenced to community service, he can have that work crew remove the walls that are currently in place and do a lot of the work for a fraction of the cost,” Shafer said.

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