The commissioners, in an effort to keep the cash-strapped county jail open, turned the jail over to Sheriff Ron Lockhart to run, and cut county budgets earlier this month by 10 percent. The money will be used to continue jail operations. Lockhart is also housing prisoners from Tulsa County to help make up the jail’s operating deficit.
Jail operations ran into trouble late last year when the Oklahoma Department of Corrections began removing low-risk prisoners, farmed out to county jails, and returning them to state correction facilities. The state paid the county $31.50 per day to house the state prisoners, and when that additional funding was cut, the county jail ran out of money.
In efforts to keep the county jail operating county officials sought other money sources, which include the budget cuts to other county offices and the importation of Tulsa County prisoners, which are being housed at $27.50 per day per prisoner.
But the commissioners say more money is needed to keep the jail open, and they have set a special election on a half-cent sales tax for the jail on Oct. 13. County voters, in two previous elections, turned down a proposed sales tax of one-sixth cent for the jail. The county will pay for the Oct. 13 special election, which will cost about $15,000, election board officials said.
At Monday’s meeting the commissioners approved the following money transfers to the jail maintenance and operation account:
—$8,820 from the county clerk’s personal services (salary) account
—$9,726 from the commissioners’ travel account
—$4,960 from the election board personal services account
—$1,010 from the Oklahoma State University Extension office
—$375 from the excise board travel account
—$1,600 from the civil defense account
—$1,600 from the county treasurer’s personal services account
—$2,960 from he county assessor’s personal services account
The $31,051 transferred Monday is only a portion of the total amount to be transferred, County Clerk Vicki Sawney said. She explained that the total amount will be roughly $165,000, which is only enough to operate the jail for two to three months, or until the Oct. 13 special election.
Other Business
The commissioners approved a bid for a 6,000-gallon tanker and pumper truck for the Brushy Fire Department. The one bid was from the Stratham, N.H., fire department and was accepted by the Brushy Fire Department.
Charles “Chuck” Wyckoff of the Sequoyah County 911 board reported to the commissioners on the status of the road numbering and road sign installation. The road numbering and signage will help emergency responders find sites of emergencies. Wyckoff said 623 signs have been installed, and 335 signs are in the process of being made.
Wyckoff said he received a letter from Sallisaw City Manager Bill Baker about combining 911 services at the Sallisaw Police Department. Sallisaw Mayor Shannon Vann recommended the cooperative effort, and city commissioners approved the project last week. Vann said combining the dispatching will save time and money, but the plans will take a while to develop. He estimated about one year for the plans to be drawn up and the project to proceed.
