The rates at the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail will be raised from $30 to $37.50 and adjustments will be made to the contract regarding mileage. The new housing rates were approved at the meeting of the jail board held Oct. 26, at Pattonsburg and will take effect at the beginning of next year.
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The rates are still less than other jails charge for the same services. The raise in rates will generate between $250,000 to $300,000 in revenue over a year, according to the administration.
A bid from Thompson Electric for a new 100 KW generator and labor at $58,422 was accepted by the board. The money to pay for it will be taken out of the Sales Tax account.
The electric work in the attic of the jail was stabilized.
In other business, at the beginning of the meeting, the siren indicating a prisoner escape from the jail was sounded with two short blasts.
Steven Grant, independent auditor hired to review the jail’s financial situation for the year 2010, presented a management letter highlighting issues for the board to consider. Approval of the letter was tabled until the next meeting.
The letter criticized the previous board for its failure to implement recommendations from an audit performed by the state auditor several years ago. Grant provided his findings and recommendations to strengthen internal accounting controls. He strongly suggested the board set up an internal audit committee to insure that transactions and recordings were monitored and reviewed. By so doing, the board would not need to rely on management to report things properly. He added that jail accounts should be tested and surprise counts taken, etc., in order to keep administration "on their toes."
Grant said he would submit the management letter to the state auditor and note that it had yet to be approved by the board.
Daviess County Prosecuting Attorney said the investigation at the jail was ongoing. The rest of her report was heard in closed session.
The financial report showed $8,000 to 9,000 in the new tracking system at the canteen. The promise of an Ipod had not yet been met.
The jail has $824,781.94 in a CD in the BTC bank. The sales tax garnered $78,856 over the last month. The Sales Tax CD amounts to $400,563.98. There is $28,924.91 in the operating account. Payroll has $308 in the account; payroll has been met for the month.
The jail’s population averaged 135 in October and 165 in September. Daviess County had more prisoners at this time than DeKalb. Daviess had 39; DeKalb 37.
A shed was moved and the parking lot rearranged. A fence around the parking lot is still being considered.
Visiting hours have changed from one hour to 30 minutes and there are no longer visiting hours at night.
The board discussed the street leading up to the gate of the jail. An incident occurred in which a couple ventured up the street and were told to go back in what they described as a not-very-friendly manner by a guard. The couple complained to the jail administration who explained that the street is a city street and that is why it is not posted; however guards will be advised to be nicer to the public in the future.
Annie Gibson complimented the staff at the jail on the decorum with which they conducted themselves and the inmates at court proceedings.
The next meeting is set for Tuesday, Nov. 22.
Board members present at the regular meeting of the Daviess-DeKalb County Regional Jail Board were Daviess County Sheriff Ben Becerra, DeKalb County Presiding Commissioner Harold Allison and Daviess County Presiding Commissioner Randy Sims. DeKalb County Sheriff Wes Raines was absent. Also attending were Daviess County Commissioner Carl Carder; Jail Administrator Bob Gray; Assistant Administrator Ed Howard; Secretary Norma Crabtree; Steve Grant, CPA; Daviess County Prosecuting Attorney Annie Gibson; and Pattonsburg Mayor Gene Walker.