BSRDC BOARD CONSIDERING PARTNERSHIP WITH ARC FOR REHAB FACILITY

Big Sandy Detention Center had quite an agenda of topics Thursday May 16,2019.
The board seems quite optimistic and ambitious in their roles to the incarcerated civility of the jail.

After a 45 minute executive session to begin the meeting, came a  motion to start accepting applications for a new Detention Center Director with certain recommendations to qualify for said position.

Background checks and or finger printing to check local state and federal databases is just some of the due diligence this new board is enacting.

Chairman Daniel Castle, a Lawrence Co. Constable said,  “I think we will have someone in a month or so. We will start advertising this upcoming week and keep that open for two weeks and then start interviewing.”

The position came open as the board fired administrator F.D. “Pete” Fitzpatrick on a 5-4 vote at last month’s meeting claiming poor conditions at the 40 year old facility were “atrocious” and said Fitzpatrick was not moving fast enough on upgrades. Fitzpatrick, however, left the board in good financial condition according to board attorney, Nelson Sparks, also of Louisa. “I’ve been doing this (board attorney) through three administrators and Pete is the best of them as far as his financial upkeep,” Sparks told The Lazer.

Motions also passed  included AA counseling and to purchase Bibles for inmates at BSRDC. The jail had one small Bible at the facility and inmates have nothing positive or productive to keep their minds occupied.  Board member Ann Ratliff volunteered to take on the Bible project as her own personal goal and she is going to see to the donations of Bibles. The Board passed a motion to buy set amount for now from Amazon and at next month’s meeting see what will or won’t be needed.

The motion for AA program was approved as there was no said program in place for inmates.

BOARD SUES MARTIN CO. FOR $220,000 IN BACK PAYMENTS

Martin County is now being sued by the Big Sandy Detention center. Board attorney, Sparks, filed the suit this week but it has yet to be served. The county has a debt in excess of $220,000 to the Jail for housing their arrests.

After the paperwork is served Martin County will have 20 days to respond to said suit, Sparks said.

“The cost is truly astronomical, Chairman Castle said. “Last month Lawrence County inmate housing bill was over $27,000. My goal is to reduce the burden by providing programs such as partnerships with ARC so that we could expedite individuals through the court systems and into rehabilitation facilities,  thus reducing overall incarceration time and hopefully give people a second chance at life and not repeat as offenders.

In other BSRDC News:

• . Finance:  have received a 10% discount to their Workman Comp insurance due to no severe claims or accidents and they will also be receiving a dividend check sometime soon.
• The Commissary Kiosk has began generating revenue and cutting cost as well. There are additional revenues due to the advertising of businesses on the Kiosk.
• A motion to suspend a 25$ to 22$ discount in place passed as Treasurer Pam Burgess explained to the board how it’s causing fluctuations to the Budget Income and Expenditures. Ms. Burgess also said they are going to be “very close” in coming in under budget by end of fiscal year. The jail is a special consideration Government Entity and States review if they are able to maintain operations or not. Budget income to expenditures have to equal out and amends to budget can only added to additional income not less, she explained
• One board member suggested “packing the Jail full” if revenue was an issue. Board member Steve Rose went on the record as being against such measures.  “Absolutely not,” Rose said. “These (Inmates) are the sons and daughters of people and they deserve to be safe, secure, and treated humanely. I will not be a part of anything that’s not.”At 289 inmates currently held at Big Sandy Detention Center the Board seems focused on making sure their (inmates) time is wisely and productively being used. The drug epidemic era has proven to idol our communities minds. Perhaps Big Sandy can rehabilitate the inmates to have a clean life, mind, and hopefully a second chance to such a life, Castle said. The maximum for the facility is 225 inmates.