Marshall County Sheriff Tom Chamberlin appeared before the County Council this week seeking an additional appropriation.
During the budget hearings last August the Sheriff was given a budget of $107,000 for prisoner medical care. In October the county signed a contract with Quality Correctional Care to provide most services in house for a monthly fee of $12,166. Chamberlin said he only has $41,000 left in the budget. That will get him through three more months but he will need an additional to get to the end of the year.
The Sheriff noted the fee is based on the average number of inmates in the jail. In 2013 the average population was 170 a day and this year it has been running at 122 inmates daily which should reduce next year’s fee.
Quality Correctional Care provides medical, dental, pharmaceuticals and now mental health services to inmates in the jail, thus reducing the number of times inmates are taken out of the jail. In 2013 the average monthly number of inmate movements outside the jail was 28. With Quality Correctional Care the number of movements has been reduced to 2.75.
The County Council took the information and will consider a $50,000 additional appropriation during their June meeting. Sheriff Chamberlin suggested using the County Corrections fund or the Certified Shares fund. County Auditor Penny Lukenbill suggested using the Certified Shares since there is extra money in the fund.
