Regional jail accepts Missouri Gas Utility service

The Daviess-DeKalb Region Jail Board voted to accept Missouri Gas Utility service for the jail at its regular meeting held Friday, March 28, in Pattonsburg.

Before making the decision, the board heard an update from Missouri Gas Utility representative Bret Brown.

Mr. Brown said the idea of converting to natural gas had gone over well in town and that 87 residents had signed for the service. He said the goal was to start the conversion by May 15 and be done by Sept. 1.

Mr. Brown recommended the jail hire somebody to convert the jail’s appliances at the jail’s cost. The utility would like to have a representative on sight to make sure it was done to their specifications. The utility would provide the regulators. Converting would take about a day.

Mr. Brown figured the cost to convert for the board members at roughly $1,000 for the main building and $275 for the annex building. The figure did not include generators for either building.

There would be an $81.77 month meter charge for the main building, plus the cost of the gas. The annex building would cost $25 per month meter charge, plus cost of gas.

Mr. Brown said the utility company had experienced a 5% rate increase. Gas was $1 per gallon coming out of winter. It would run $1.06 next winter, if gas prices don’t go any higher.

Mr. Brown said the pipe at the jail met the utilities specs and didn’t need replaced.

Two vent-less heaters have to be replaced. The utility will buy one and the jail will buy one at a cost of $200 each.

Fryers in the kitchen are not used but Mr. Brown recommended they be converted anyway.

During old business, the board heard that the fence around the annex is completed. Jail Administrator Larry Hadley said he would call the insurance company to see if it was all right to use razor wire on the bottom of the fence. If not, they’ll put the third strand of razor wire around the top.

The board agreed to enter the bid process for repairs to the jail’s roof.

The roof of the main building has 8,805 square feet; F, G and H halls 3,390; sally port 540, for a total of 12,735 square feet. The shop roof is 3,252 square feet and the annex is 3,500.

The board heard a preliminary bid from Nick Hensley with Hensley Services LLC out of Cumberland, Iowa, for a Conklin MR roof system.

Daviess County Sheriff Kevin Heldenbrand updated the board on the possibility of an investigator at the jail. He also discussed the MULES audit and a recommendation by the FBI for the jail to mirror the agreement with 9-1-1 as far as the sheriff having authority to fire personnel.

Daviess County Presiding Commissioner Lance Critten talked to the board about information he’d received from a circuit judge regarding a grant for polycom equipment for video court. The board thought Mr. Critten should recommend the circuit judge go ahead and apply for the grant.

The board agreed to take the jail’s surplus items to the Clarksdale Auction on April 19.

The financial report, aging report and budget message were read by Budget Manager David Tolen.

Sales tax revenue came to $78,007.33 for the month of March. There is $213,997.61 in the sales tax operating account, with $800,000 in a CD at Horizon Bank.

There is $337,219.99 in the jail’s operating account, with a three month CD of $300,000 at Home Exchange Bank and a six month CD of $400,000 at Home Exchange Bank.

The commissary grossed $15,894.79. Swanson’s income was $167.05.

Since January, Daviess County has saved $71,562 and DeKalb County has saved $119,776 on inmate housing.

Present at the March 28 meeting of the jail board were Daviess County Sheriff Kevin Heldenbrand; DeKalb County Sheriff Wes Raines; Daviess County Presiding Commissioner Lance Critten; DeKalb County Presiding Commissioner Dick Lippold; Jail Administrator Larry Hadley; OSA Mary Morrow and Budget Manager David Tolen.