Benton County officials back higher jail fees

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County justices of the peace are looking to increase the fee charged cities to hold prisoners in the jail and plan to ask for more money from the state as well.

The Legislative Committee on Monday endorsed increasing the fee to cities from $45 per day to $50 per day. Kevin Harrison, justice of the peace for District 5 and committee chairman, said the increase will bring the county to a break-even point on jail costs.

"This is a two-part deal," Harrison said. "Last year we had a $5 increase for this year, which got us to where we're about $5 below what it's costing us. I'm proposing that we look at a $5 a day increase for 2016 to get us to where we're breaking even."

Brenda Guenther, comptroller, said the per day cost for inmates at the jail was just under $50 per day in an audit done by the state in 2014.

While the county sets the fee for cities, Guenther said, the state sets the rate it pays counties for holding state inmates. That rate was increased by the Legislature last year from $28 per day to $30 per day. Harrison said Benton County needs to lobby the state to increase the rate until the cost is covered. He said the state pays $50 a day to Texas to hold Arkansas inmates.

"This county jail was built by county taxpayers to house county prisoners," Harrison said. "The squeaky wheel gets the oil. We need to send a resolution to the governor saying we're not happy."

Susan Anglin, justice of the peace for District 9, said the county has to work with area legislators to get anything done.

"I would like them to go to the governor's office to defend what we do," Anglin said.

After some discussion, the panel agreed to arrange a meeting with legislators to discuss the fees and other issues officials would like to have the state address. Harrison said he wants the county to keep the issue before the Legislature until it's resolved.

"I don't think they need to do it all at once but I think they need to have a plan to get us up to where we break even," he said. "It's time for our legislators to come up with a plan. That's what we hired them for."

The committee also voted to send a resolution to the state attorney general's office and to the Association of Arkansas Counties urging the attorney general to file a lawsuit challenging federal guidelines regarding salaried employees and overtime.

Barb Ludwig, human resources administrator, said the regulations, set to take effect in December, might cost the county $65,000 over a year. Ludwig said the county could shift some employees from a salaried status to hourly employees and direct them to avoid overtime.

NW News on 06/14/2016

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