The county just might escape paying a substantial chunk of the original proposed costs of renovating the Claiborne County Jail if the Claiborne Commission approves the new, pared down numbers.
The Claiborne Correctional Partnership Act Committee, commonly known as the jail committee, met in regular monthly session last week. The five member team listened while Wayne Lee, chief deputy of the Claiborne Sheriff’s Office, spoke of the new renovation figures and the merits of the proposed Claiborne Jail expansion project.
The much-touted $700,000 renovation project, whittled down to a new low of $446,660, includes just those items that directly address safety for jail inmates and staff alike.
Lee said the new “bare bones” project includes the costs of replacing 60 of the defective locks with tamper-resistant ones. Each lock, he said, carries a $2,300 price tag – or a total $138,000. The renovation figures earmark some $6,400 to cover the labor costs for installing the new locks.
Sam Owens, county finance officer, said just prior to the beginning of the meeting that the new proposed project budget includes the purchase and installation of air conditioning units and a “mega” water heater.
New paint will likely be included, he said.
The funds to cover the renovation project, Lee said, should be placed in a separate designated account so that the funds are not “co-mingling” with other money in the Sheriff’s Department budget.
As of April, the CCSO has “in the bank” $1,659,589.99 in generated jail-related funds.
Lee said the $1.7 million goal will likely be exceeded by June 30 – the end of the current fiscal year.
The committee touched on the proposed Claiborne Jail expansion project. Apparently, the county has but 90 days from the date of accepting bids before those bids expire, meaning new bids would need to be advertised and accepted at a probable increase in contractor costs.
Owens did say the contractors could decide to honor the original bids.
The jail committee is currently in limbo, awaiting the results of the upcoming August polls deciding the fate of the Claiborne Jail expansion project bonds issue.
Steve Mason, jail committee chairman, said prior to the meeting that it’s a waiting game for the county budget committee, as well.
The new fiscal year budget cannot be determined, he said, until the election results are learned.
The Claiborne County Corrections Partnership Control Board, who met on June 1, granted the Claiborne County Jail compliance standing until Sept. 1. That will give the committee a short time to prepare its continuing defense of the overcrowding issue, depending on the outcome of the bond issue referendum during the August election.
On June 23, the Claiborne County Jail held a total 246 inmates, overcrowding the facility by 54 prisoners. On that date, 50 federal inmates made up the total lodged inside the jail.
It appears the ratio of female to male prisoners has increased, with 246 females to 200 male inmates incarcerated on that day.
Reach Jan Runions at 423-254-5588 or on Twitter @scribeCP.