The Daviess/DeKalb Regional Jail Board is projecting next year the jail will turn a profit. Not a big profit — $53,000 — but a profit, nevertheless.
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Next year will be a trial year. It will be the first year the jail will go a full year with a vastly reduced number of counties being housed. Income is predicted from Caldwell; Daviess/DeKalb; Livingston; and Sullivan. In the years before the jail hosted around 66 cities and counties.
As hosts of the jail, Daviess and DeKalb do not pay to house their inmates; however, detainees are required to pay their own board bill. The total of what Daviess and DeKalb were reimbursed last year (2014) from the detainees was $80,064.
According to Administrative Assistant Norma Crabtree, next year’s budget will take all of the sales tax money to come up with a positive ending balance. The jail cannot pay for itself.
No ballot vote will be needed to continue the jail’s half cent sales tax as was supposed for a while.
Missouri House Representative J. Eggleston (Republican) said he had discussed the topic with the legal minds in Jefferson City and even without an extension, everything at the jail will stay the same, including the half cent sales tax.
“Twelve years ago the regional jail was an experiment,” said Rep. Eggleston (District 002). “We had state prisons and county jails with nothing in between, until the regional jail was built. The regional jail seems to be working well for Daviess and DeKalb. Livingston County is paying us to house its prisoners because it means a cost savings for them. It seems best to keep the regional jail going.”
There is little room for savings in the budget. Some savings will come from not hiring any new staffing, according to Administrator Bob Gray. He said the jail plans to stay away from large purchases. The building is presently well maintained and the vehicles are in good shape. There may be some money saved on fuel, though the pricing is unpredictable.
View the jail’s budget report HERE
The jail now houses only a few counties. The jail had 129 inmates in January with 50 from Livingston; and the remainder from Daviess-DeKalb.
The greatest revenue from the jail comes from Livingston County, which paid $458,400 last year.
Employees represent the biggest expense for the jail. There are 30 employees corrections officers at the jail. Administrative staff consists of jail administrator; jail assistant administrator; administrative assistant; and commissary department head. The total employee benefits equaled $1,272,644 in 2014.
In 2014 the jail by itself made $1,619,284, but its total expenses were $2,069,864. This left the jail with a deficit of $450,580.
The jail’s sales tax revenue came to the rescue by adding $987,411. The jail also made a little money off the CD and checking interest and auctions for a total of $992,082.
The jail is now in the clear by $541,502
But the bond payments came to $907,929. Capital purchases for building, equipment and vehicles came to $68,927. That’s a total of $976,856.
The jail is now in debt $435,354. ($992,082 – $541,502)
The board removed $525,000 from a CD to pay off the bond, which cleared the jail’s debts.
In 2015 the jail by itself is predicted to make $881,739, and its total expenses should be $1,691,238.48. This would leave the jail with a deficit of $809,499.48.
The jail’s sales tax revenue, plus interest, should come to $904,600.
The jail is now in the clear by $95,101.
The bond will have been paid off. Fixed asset purchases will come to about $41,200.
The jail is still in the clear by $53,901.