July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Jail funds given OK
Will pay medical costs for inmates
County officials can't wait for the new jail to be completed.
In the meantime, the county is continuing to incur costs related to the overcrowded current facility.
The Jay County Council approved another $60,000 Wednesday night for the sheriff's budget "to cover for medical and housing inmates out of county," said Jay County Sheriff Ray Newton. The original amount in that line item in the 2009 budget was $45,000.
Newton said the jail is averaging about 79 inmates per day. That number was 45 inmates per day in October.
The jail's capacity is supposed to be 55.
Engineering estimates predicted a daily jail population of about 85 inmates - in 2030.
"We are currently still packed," Newton said, stating there were 68 inmates being held Wednesday, including 17 women, of which the jail was designed to hold less than five.
The boom in offenders has sharply increased medical costs for the jail, since the county is responsible for providing health care to those behind bars. Housing costs are also plowing through the sheriff's budget too; the county pays $35 a day to house a prisoner in another county. Fourteen Jay County inmates were being held out of county as of Wednesday, which means $490 spent in a single day.
"Do you think this will cover you to the end of the year?" asked council member Gary Theurer about the $60,000.
Newton's response: "Mid-year."
Although the jail will likely go through the new money in less than two months, the council was left powerless.
"We don't have a choice," said council president Gerald Kirby.
The council agreed and voted unanimously to supply the money.
In other business Wednesday, the council:
•Approved additional appropriations of $2,073.94 and $6,688.06 transfers of $3,705.04 and $10,000 within the public defender's budget to cover costs for legal services provided.
•Approved paying out $14,360 to the Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition, the group's annual budgeted amount.
•Approved use of $50,000 in Economic Development Income Tax money to support the John Jay Center for Learning.
•Approved an appropriation of $1,500 of probation user fees to cover training and travel expenses for court officials.
•Assigned council members to inspect several businesses for compliance in respect to tax abatements. Council members will check and report back next month on the status of Red Gold and confined livestock feeding operations operated by Eric, Lorra and Tyler Pursifull; Rick A. Dues; and Minnich Poultry LLC.[[In-content Ad]]
In the meantime, the county is continuing to incur costs related to the overcrowded current facility.
The Jay County Council approved another $60,000 Wednesday night for the sheriff's budget "to cover for medical and housing inmates out of county," said Jay County Sheriff Ray Newton. The original amount in that line item in the 2009 budget was $45,000.
Newton said the jail is averaging about 79 inmates per day. That number was 45 inmates per day in October.
The jail's capacity is supposed to be 55.
Engineering estimates predicted a daily jail population of about 85 inmates - in 2030.
"We are currently still packed," Newton said, stating there were 68 inmates being held Wednesday, including 17 women, of which the jail was designed to hold less than five.
The boom in offenders has sharply increased medical costs for the jail, since the county is responsible for providing health care to those behind bars. Housing costs are also plowing through the sheriff's budget too; the county pays $35 a day to house a prisoner in another county. Fourteen Jay County inmates were being held out of county as of Wednesday, which means $490 spent in a single day.
"Do you think this will cover you to the end of the year?" asked council member Gary Theurer about the $60,000.
Newton's response: "Mid-year."
Although the jail will likely go through the new money in less than two months, the council was left powerless.
"We don't have a choice," said council president Gerald Kirby.
The council agreed and voted unanimously to supply the money.
In other business Wednesday, the council:
•Approved additional appropriations of $2,073.94 and $6,688.06 transfers of $3,705.04 and $10,000 within the public defender's budget to cover costs for legal services provided.
•Approved paying out $14,360 to the Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition, the group's annual budgeted amount.
•Approved use of $50,000 in Economic Development Income Tax money to support the John Jay Center for Learning.
•Approved an appropriation of $1,500 of probation user fees to cover training and travel expenses for court officials.
•Assigned council members to inspect several businesses for compliance in respect to tax abatements. Council members will check and report back next month on the status of Red Gold and confined livestock feeding operations operated by Eric, Lorra and Tyler Pursifull; Rick A. Dues; and Minnich Poultry LLC.[[In-content Ad]]
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