Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Weekly Report From County Executive
Several times in this column I’ve compared the decisions we make about the county 
budget to the ones you and I make for our own households. Many of you have talked to me about cutting costs when money runs low, and about making tough choices for your families.
Still, things happen in our families that we can’t control. Nothing blows a budget like the arrival of a new family member, or health problems. The growing population at our jail and costs associated with their care are similar issues affecting county government’s budget.
The 2006 tax increase was imposed to pay for construction of our new jail, and that additional 27 cents continues to go into the debt service fund to pay for it. Although the bed count went from 34 to 261, no extra money was allocated to operate the jail. All of this is supported with a tax rate that was established in 1998. Unfortunately, we are facing overcrowding issues again (with a population that averages 300), and possible decertification if an action plan is not developed.
In 2004-05, it cost $715,000 to operate the jail; the price tag in 2014-15 was $2,713,000. Managing a larger building naturally means higher utility bills, and more inmates cost more to feed and monitor. Rules about the care they receive, including the minimum number of calories they consume a day, are established by the state.
Inmates’ medical care is one line item that’s skyrocketed over the past few years. As required by law, Lawrence County is completely responsible for their health treatments. Medicare, Medicaid and TennCare benefits are all cut off when a person is jailed.
Meth users arrive at the jail with dental problems that cause real health complications – we are not fixing their teeth for cosmetic reasons. Lawrence County has paid to treat conditions including pregnancy and childbirth, AIDS, cancer, and heart problems. Last year’s medical costs were $350,000, including one inmate’s heart condition that created an expense of $75,000.
Thankfully, there are some things that help offset costs. Lawrence County receives $37 per day for each of approximately 30 state prisoners we house, and a one-time payment of $200 for those eligible for Society Security (checks to individuals stop when they are incarcerated). We also get a percentage of profit from the commissary and phone system that inmates use.
Inmate work crews help save funds. They sort recycling, pick up trash, mow grass and help out at God’s Storehouse. There have been electricians, bricklayers, carpenters and janitors who’ve worked on various projects while serving time. Inmate workers mean that the county only has to have one maintenance person and three housekeepers on salary to take care of its 18 buildings.
The one thing that hasn’t gone up much at all over the years is the salaries we pay our officers. Information recently provided by the Sheriff to Commissioners shows that corrections officers make $22,145 a year, and they make that whether they’ve been there one week or eight years.
The Sheriff also reported that his department has lost 141 patrol and correction officers to better-paying jobs over the past nine years. “We are basically a training academy for other law enforcement agencies,” he said. This costs our county in two ways: 1) through lost funds [training and equipping each corrections officer costs $2,492; each patrol officer, $9,641]; and 2) through the loss of experienced officers who can naturally serve us better.
The Sheriff’s Department is now also sharing, with our School System, the annual cost of keeping School Resource Officers in all our schools. Since 1998, the department has placed three officers in our courts, but in today’s climate we must improve courtroom security even more.
Every budget – whether it’s for a household or government - is affected by change. Changes in society are causing expenses related to crime and criminal justice to rise every year. Lawrence County is responsible for those costs, and unfortunately, they are beyond our control.
