~Officials consider staffing needs
BENTON - With only around four months left before the new Scott County jail is finished, commissioners are turning their attention toward equipping and staffing the new facility.
Although the wet spring pushed back the completion date from its original September target, officials hope to see the facility finished by the end of the year.
Lt. Jim Chambers of the sheriff's department said during Tuesday's county commission meeting that considering the prisoner population will be three times that of the present facility, everything from food service to court appearances will be more complicated at the new jail.
In addition to working out the details for kitchen equipment and supplies, laundry appliances, radio and dispatching equipment, and computers, the sheriff's department will need new software to manage the new facility, according to Chambers. "We're going to have to upgrade big time."
Chambers said the biggest obstacle in making the transition from the old jail to the new one will be moving the radio equipment. He predicted the changeover may take two or three weeks.
Jail personnel will also need to be trained in advance. "We've got to have staff ready to go," said Chambers. He noted that other newly-opened jail facilities have found they need to increase the number of staff from anticipated levels. The present jail's staff includes six jailers, four dispatchers and two supervisors.
Chambers said he believes it is Sheriff Bill Ferrell's intention to place him as an overseer for dispatching, food service and other jail operations while Cpl. Jim Bonner remains in charge of inmates.
Commissioner Walter Bizzell asked if Chambers would be a jail administrator at the new jail like the Charleston jail has. Chambers said he believes Ferrell will take a more hands-on approach. "It's still his department, his jail."
Commissioners also discussed the possibility of moving the county E-911 dispatching to the new jail as E-911 has funding that could be very helpful to setting up a dispatching center at the jail.
"We'd have to take over control," said Chambers.
Commissioners also discussed holding on open house for the new jail before prisoners are moved in. "It's going to be a nice facility - we're going to want to show it off," Chambers said.
In other Scott County commission business:
* A check from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for $50,155.23 was received by the county. Officials are still waiting on the State Emergency Management Agency's 10 percent.
* August sales tax received by the county was just slightly lower than last year's, according to Commissioner Jamie Burger, for a total of $21,589.65 less than last year at this time.
Officials had budgeted for $100,000 less in sales tax for the year.
* Irrigation polypipe can be dropped off at a site behind McMullin's grocery store in Grant City from now until December, according to county officials.
"It needs to be rolled up and tied," said Martin Priggel, presiding commissioner.