Fiscal couort half-heartedly agrees to ask state for meeting on jail re-opening

Whitley County Fiscal Court members agreed Tuesday morning to grant a request by Jailer Jerry Taylor to ask Department of Corrections officials if they would be willing to negotiate concerning the re-opening of the Whitley County Jail, but say they are continuing to move forward with plans to turn the facility into a regional detention center.
“We will continue our negotiations with Knox County,” Patrick said. “I do not believe that the Department of Corrections is going to agree to the opening of the jail with Jerry Taylor as jailer. I don’t think that is going to happen. Are we in the county willing to talk? Yes, I think we have to take that position, but realistically, I don’t expect it to do anything.
“Where does it place Whitley County liability wise if, after all that has been said by the Department of Corrections and you have a jailer that has been indicted on 19 counts. That puts us in a position that we should never be in liability wise if something goes wrong.”
During Tuesday’s meeting, Taylor asked whether Patrick and County Attorney Paul Winchester if they had met and made any plans concerning the next meeting with the Department of Corrections over re-opening the jail, and announced that he had a plan together to get the jail re-opened.
When asked what the plan was by magistrates, Taylor responded that he didn’t have the plan with him.
Patrick said he hadn’t received notice of such a meeting, and Taylor responded that during the last hearing, the judge gave 30 days for the sides to meet regarding the re-opening of the jail.
Taylor’s lawyers filed a motion earlier this month asking Franklin Circuit Judge William Graham to lift a restraining order he issued in late July allowing the closure of the Whitley County Jail.
According to the Kentucky Press Association News Service, Graham said he would like Taylor to come up with a “game plan” to bring the jail into compliance with Department of Corrections regulations, and that with a plan in place it could pave the way for a meeting with the Department of Corrections concerning the future of the Whitley County Jail.
However, Graham delayed ruling on the motion, and cautioned that if the correction’s commissioner wanted the jail closed then it’s closed.
Winchester said his understanding of the judge’s ruling was that Taylor’s attorneys could file a motion again in 30 days concerning the re-opening of the jail.
“There is a difference in interpretation of what that judge has ordered,” Patrick added. “I don’t know that he has actually ordered anything other than go home, and talk it over. We were not told to be at that hearing. I believe what the judge said was that Mr. Taylor’s lawyer, after 30 days can remake his motion to have a hearing before that judge, and have all parties present.”
Taylor said he hadn’t had any conversations with the Department of Corrections towards organizing a meeting regarding negotiations to open the jail again.
“I feel like that is up to the fiscal court,” Taylor said.
The fiscal court wasn’t present for the Sept. 6 hearing.
Magistrate Wayne Wilson noted during the meeting that the county received no notification regarding the hearing, which was the result of a motion filed by Taylor’s attorneys.
Taylor said his attorneys had no intention of failing to notify the fiscal court.
“What I am asking, I guess, is do you intend to work on it?” Taylor asked.
The fiscal court voted three to two to contact the Department of Corrections to see if the agency was willing to work with the county towards re-opening the facility as just the Whitley County Jail. Magistrates Burley Foley and Wilson voted against asking for the meeting.
Wilson noted that Correction’s Commissioner John Rees has said that the jail won’t be opening again as long as Taylor is in charge.
“I heard Mr. Rees exactly what he said. I think that is neither here nor there right now. The same judge that accepted Commissioner Rees order can also accept ours. My side has never been heard. Your all’s side was heard, not mine,” Taylor said.
Patrick said negotiations are still ongoing with Knox County toward turning the facility into a regional jail, but that work is slow going.
For instance, the deputy judge-executive in Knox County recently submitted a 42 page lease agreement for the county to consider regarding use of the jail as a regional facility.
Patrick said he realizes that the jail closure is creating problems for everyone involved, but that the county doesn’t want to rush into an agreement that doesn’t address all the issues.
Even after the two counties work out a deal, the Department of Corrections will still have to approve it.
Also during Tuesday’s regularly monthly meeting of the fiscal court, magistrates voted to authorize Sheriff Lawrence Hodge, who is currently serving as the transportation supervisor for the prisoners, to hire another secretary in his office to oversee prisoner transportation.
Hodge told magistrates that his secretaries are swamped with calls from lawyers, court officials, other jails, and hospitals over demands to get prisoners transported where they need to go.
He said with tax season and audits coming up neither of his existing secretaries have time to deal with transportation issues.
Hodge said he plans to hire a coop student for the position, and that they would be paid minimum wage.
In addition, the fiscal court approved submission of a $194,146 grant application to renovate the courthouse, such as replacing tile on the courthouse steps and fixing doors and gutters.