The Fisher County Commissioners received a request last month from the sheriff’s department, asking the court to release ARPA funds to allow to upgrade jail equipment in efforts to better meet state compliance.
Although Sheriff Randy Ford was unable to personally attend the March meeting, Fisher County Jail Administrator Robin Cleveland spoke to commissioners about issues the staff faces and a proposed solution.
Per guidelines outlined in the state’s minimum jail standards, Jailers are to perform regular inspections to assure inmates are in their cells and in good condition, documenting the time. Cleveland explained how when jailers currently perform cell checks, those times are tracked using a hardcopy paper method.
“Every year on our jail inspection we get dinged on it because someone is off,” said Cleveland.
The jail is looking to upgrade systems with the company installing new tag systems, which require the jailer to physically tag the cell with a device that automatically documents the time. The goal is to reduce or omit any clerical errors that have been an issue in the past.
While performing better on some inspections than others over the years, properly documenting cell checks has been a weak point. Although not a major violation, it has been cited for several consecutive years, and one the department feels can be corrected with better equipment.
While submitting the required three bids, Cleveland shared her recommendation, preferring the Life Check System that offers a device with an alarm to notify jailers when checks are pending. Multiple alarms allow for jailers to be reminded several times to perform a check, building to a constant alert signal. “It will not let them miss that check,” said Cleveland.
Cleveland shared that the company’s founder was a former attorney with years of experience with lawsuits both for and against jail facilities. She said he developed the Life Check cell checking technology for jails from what he learned through years of litigation.
Cleveland said that although the system has a primary function, the device is multi-purposed and can also allow for video and photo storage. She said this will only add to the overall accountability of the employees to perform their duties.
The cost of the system is roughly $1,650 startup and a $370 monthly fee, and as the upgrade was not in this year’s budget, the sheriff requested the court consider using funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
The county received the first half of a total $740,000 in federal funds associated with the ARPA last July. With $371,000 already in the bank and the second half anticipated in the upcoming months, the county has been looking into areas to spend the unanticipated revenue.
While a portion of the funds was designated to cover cost overruns on a water distribution project the county sponsored, some revenue remains available for use, and although areas for spending the money have expanded, the county is still limited in scope.
There are essentially four main categories designated for using the funds, one of which is public health. This category expands to include supply, vehicle, or equipment needs for EMS and fire departments, as well as police and sheriff’s departments.
While the commissioners were in favor of approving the purchase and the use of ARPA funds to cover the cost, the court could only approve the company’s contract last month. It is anticipated the court will approve funding when commissioners meet again on April 11.