The quorum court held an emergency meeting on March 30 to make the county’s coronavirus relief plans compatible with state and federal plans. During that meeting, justices of the peace tabled a request from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) for third-party medical coverage at the Detention Center until June.
Just a few days later, JPs had a chance to reconsider. The regular April meeting was moved from April 20 to April 2. In keeping with social distancing measures, the meeting was held in the garage at the Road Department. Seven JPs in attendance were scattered across the large bay, and two more JPs attended by telephone.
Sheriff Jim Ross outlined a plan which would replace the patchwork medical system currently in place. CCSO presently hires nurses, and a volunteer doctor is available to meet with patients. Hiring an outside agency to provide medical services would cost more, Ross said, but the county would greatly reduce the possibility of a lawsuit.
Ross had received a bid for $150,000 annually. In previous discussions, JPs noted that the county’s overall medical costs would not increase substantially, but the current costs come out of a dedicated sales tax. The third-party coverage would have to come from county general funds. JP Jack Deaton said the sheriff had worked with the budget committee to cut expenditures, but the county would still face a new expense.
JPs weighed the additional costs against the possibility of a serious medical situation and discussed uncertainties that could cause the current bid price to rise if they waited until June. JP Chuck Olson said the contract only covers one year, and the county can re-evaluate the service in a year. JPs voted unanimously in favor of the third-party coverage, and that contract will take effect May 1.
How it affects prisoners
After approving the third-party coverage, the JPs also passed an ordinance changing the rates charged to jail inmates seeking medical attention. If jail staff initiate a medical intervention, an inmate will not be charged. If an inmate asks to see a nurse, a $20 co-pay will be charged to his commissary account. That amount remains the same as it has been, but the co-pay for a visit with a doctor or dentist will increase from $20 to $30. Each prescription will carry a $10 co-pay.
An inmate lacking funds in a commissary account will not be denied medical attention. The costs will be tallied against future deposits to the commissary account. If an inmate leaves the facility with a negative balance, the CCSO can ask a judge to add those costs to the fines, court costs, and restitution imposed at sentencing.
Jail security equipment OK’d
JPs considered another item relating to the Detention Center. The agenda included a request for $91,000 to replace the Access Control System. The system operates doors and the intercom for the entire facility, and the equipment currently in place dates back to the jail’s construction. “The system is failing, and it’s putting us in a bad way,” Ross said. “We feel like we’ve been walking on a razor’s edge.”
JP Craig Hicks explained that the Detention Center is not a direct supervision facility. Without the system of cameras and remote releases, the county would have to hire more guards. Ross offered to give JPs a tour of the facility, so they could see the importance of the control system.
The sales tax money can pay to replace the control system, but two JPs had reservations about the cost. JP Kellie Matt said the county faces major economic uncertainties. “I want to make sure we have money if we need it,” she said. JP Marty Johnson, attending by telephone, referred to the possible economic effects of the coronavirus. “We don’t need to spend money while we have this monkey on our backs,” he said. “Let’s see what happens next month.”
As some JPs spoke in favor of allocating the funds, Johnson continued to object. “We’re all going to have to do things we don’t want to do, and make sacrifices,” he said. “This is the new reality, and it’s only going to get worse.”
Deaton emphasized that the money would come from the jail tax, which the county can only use for very specific purposes. He also raised the prospect that the coronavirus could reduce the available staff. JP Harrie Farrow agreed. “We can’t have a situation in the jail where they can’t communicate,” she said.
With Matt and Johnson voting against, the measure passed by a 7-2 margin. Ross thanked JPs, and said, “These are two huge things that needed to be done.” He promised his department would “pinch our pennies” to make the budget work.