Beginning immediately, prisoners will have to pay for their stay while in the Clark County Jail. They will also be billed a co-pay for any medical expenses incurred during their time in the jail.
The two decisions came in the form of ordinances, which were adopted at a Quorum Court meeting Monday night after justices heard three readings of the ordinances.
Justices passed both ordinances with no questions or discussion, though Albert Neal and Francis McGill had questioned the measures in previous meetings. Their concerns included what additional staff the sheriff’s office would need, if the measures would mean more money for the county, and if the laws have thus far worked in other counties. Sheriff David Turner, who proposed the ordinances, has said that there would be no additional work placed on staff, and that the laws have been successful in Craighead and Jefferson counties — though the state law which allows for such county ordinances is fairly new.
Regarding if the county would receive funds from the ordinances, Turner said in a September meeting that “It may take a while, but we’ll get some.”
The Pay for Stay Ordinance will required inmates, if convicted, to pay for all their housing, transportation, medical, dental, hospital and pharmacy costs. An account will be set up for each prisoner, and each account will be monitored. Inmates will pay off the expense as they would their fees.
The expected cost prisoners should pay is $58 per day, in addition to other expenses like medical needs and the cost of transporting them to the jail. Jonathan Huber moved to adopt the ordinance, followed by a second from Brown Hardman.
Under the Medical Co-Pay Ordinance, inmates will have to pay $20 for any medical services like seeing a doctor, nurse, dentist or other medical care provider. They will also have to pay a $10 co-pay for all prescriptions not covered by his insurance. Huber moved to adopt, followed by Mac Neel’s second.
Both ordinances were passed without opposition.
The full court also heard an update from the budget and finance committee. Hardman said the committee has been discussing the 2010 budget and should submit a final decision to the court this week. Neel, who is also on the committee, said the panel approved bills incurred by the sheriff’s office for the months of September and October.
Though the exact amount of the expenses was unknown, it was between $61,000 and $62,000, plus a $500 phone bill. McGill asked, “Where are we going to get the money.” County Judge Ron Daniell said the money would come out of the counties unappropriated funds. Huber moved to authorize that the county pay “up to $63,000 — whatever the amount is” incurred by the sheriff’s office. Vickie Smithpeters seconded the motion, which carried.
In new business, justices were set to consider an ordinance levying taxes on real and personal property for 2009, collectible in 2010. Huber asked if there were any plans for constructing a new jail. Daniell said the county is awaiting the Army National Guard to move out of its Crittenden Street building and into its yet-to-be-built facility in the Clark County Industrial Park.
The groundwork has begun in the industrial park for the new facility, Daniell said, but there is no guarantee who will get to purchase the Crittenden Street building. “We’ve got our name in the pot,” Daniell told Huber.
“Because of the state of the economy” and “in the interest of the citizens,” Huber moved to delete the county’s 1 mil tax “for at least the next year” for the construction of a new jail. There was no second. Smithpeters moved to read the initial tax levy ordinance, followed by Penny Ross’s second. The motion carried 10-1, with Huber voting “no.” McGill moved to adopt the ordinance, followed by Neal’s second. The motion carried 10-1, with Huber voting “no.”
In the county judge’s report, Daniell thanked the budget and finance committee for “an excellent job ... We’ll have one more meeting, and hopefully wrap it up” to present the 2010 budget to the full court in the December meeting. “It’s been a tough budget to work with this year.”
In other business, Tom Calhoon said he has recently spoken with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission officials about the progress on a boat ramp on the west side of Lower Lake.
Though the AGFC has “holes to jump through ... they are still positive about it.”