PVT FILE PHOTO Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo RELATED STORIES Eastley questions site; DeMeo upset CCA agreement suggests limits Advertisement

Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo stood in the back of the Bob Ruud Community Center Tuesday, while County Commissioner Joni Eastley was reading off letters of opposition to the federal detention center.

The sheriff plans to submit his own comments on terms to be included in the development agreement.

DeMeo said Corrections Corporation of America has a habit of expanding their facilities, but did not cite examples. He wants a cap of 1,500 inmates on the Pahrump facility.

"When I looked at the development agreement I saw there was a footprint for expansion to a facility of equal size. When they were going up 40 feet (high) they could actually put 5,000 people on that site," DeMeo said.

Previously, CCA officials said they would work out a security agreement with the Nye County Sheriff's Office once a warden is named, about four months before the detention center is scheduled to open in early 2010.

"I want them to sit down with us before they put a shovel in the ground and develop a community action plan so the Nye County sheriff's department has a tremendous amount of say," DeMeo said. "I'm looking at what's best for the community because if there's an escape I want them to mitigate that problem."

Buddy Johns, CCA senior director of project development, told the town of Pahrump economic development organization PAVED there would be high tech, "Star Wars" security.

"Every security system can be defeated. All it does it just try to inhibit people from escaping," DeMeo said. "No facility is immune from it. I want to make sure our input is in there so we can make sure as much as possible there isn't a problem."

The company also has expanded the type of inmates to be housed at the facility, the sheriff charged. The original plan was to house federal prisoners awaiting trial and deportation. DeMeo said he turned down an offer to tour CCA facilities in other communities.

DeMeo said he understands the project could be a major economic boost to the Pahrump area. CCA Vice-President of Marketing and Communications Louise Grant said starting detention officers would be paid a federal prevailing wage of $25 per hour.

"At what cost do we want the jobs?" DeMeo asked. "That was one of the reasons I thought this was a very good deal was because of the jobs. But I thought if Nye County built this facility we would give better paying jobs to people from our community, not one-third or 40 percent or more from outside Nye County."

Grant said CCA received a number of comments from a few individuals in the Pahrump community about the development agreement.

"We have been receiving comments from various organizations, the sheriff, public works, my understanding is the town will be submitting comments as well," Grant said.

When asked about the sheriff's concerns, she said, "I'm not sure we would want to comment publicliy on that."

"We work hand in hand with all the counties in our communities," Grant said. "We have very strong relationships with law enforcement."