While the cost of prisoner transport and subsequent incarceration has undoubtedly been on the rise in west Kentucky, it doesn’t mean the cost has met the market.
During Thursday’s special-planned Trigg County Fiscal Court session, magistrates voted unanimously in favor of a new contract with the Christian County Jail — in which housing will move from $25 per day, per inmate, to $30 per day effective July 1.
That’s a 20% increase.
Furthermore, the contract ascertains that Trigg County pay an additional $10 per video court appearance for each inmate — in what essentially will be a service fee to have someone station and navigate a computer while court is in session.
While the increased costs were well planned for by county officials, it doesn’t make the change any less palpable. Magistrate Mike Wright said he spoke with Christian County jailer Brad Hewell, and understood the cost had no way to go but to increase.
Magistrate Larry Lawrence and Judge-Executive Hollis Alexander followed, noting a change in the cost hasn’t occurred in quite some time.
For the month of March, Trigg County paid Christian County $35,000 for inmate boarding. Mathematically, that’s an average 45 inmates a day for 31 days in the month. If it had been July, that cost would’ve roughly been $42,000.
In other news:
— Magistrates also unanimously approved a bid totaling more than $31,000 to repair the roof at the Trigg County Recreation Complex’s Lexie Bush Convention Center. Alexander noted it’s an almost identical repair to the one the Trigg County Sheriff’s Office received a few years ago.
— Magistrates unanimously approved a resolution, authorizing Alexander to sign and submit proper application for a law enforcement grant from Homeland Security, seeking funds for seven updated tasers to be used in court security.
Trigg County Sheriff Aaron Acree brought about the discussion during Thursday’s meeting.
One more taser will need to be paid for by the sheriff’s office, costing less than $3,000.
— Alexander said that during this last round of severe weather, in which six small tornadoes rolled through west Kentucky, more than 90 people took advantage of safe sheltering offered within the county. He commended the efforts of emergency response from David Bryant and crew, and added that several grants are being applied for through PADD and FEMA to hopefully install extra sirens, buy generators and potentially build a storm shelter for the community at the Trigg County Recreation Complex.
— Trigg County, according to Alexander, currently has four total active cases of COVID-19.
— Trigg County’s “Tire Roundup” will be next Thursday and Friday, April 28-29, at the Trigg County Road Department.
