Plans underway to reopen jail

Whitley County officials hope to have the recently closed Whitley County Jail back open as a regional detention center within the next few weeks.
A day after the Knox County Fiscal Court voted to enter into negotiations for the formation of a regional jail, last Wednesday Whitley County Fiscal Court members authorized Judge-Executive Mike Patrick to negotiate on their behalf for the formation of a regional jail.
“We had some discussions back and forth in reviewing an agreement similar to what we are going to enter into. It is in progress. It is moving, but there are some technical questions that none us really know the answer too, and we are having to seek a little guidance,” Patrick said Tuesday morning.
Patrick said the regional jail discussions haven’t progressed to the stage where leaders from both counties have to hammer the finer points of an agreement.
“Right now, it is just a matter of developing a knowledge and an understanding of what the agreements really say. This may lead to some questions and discussions,” Patrick said.
Patrick said he is anticipating that there will be a few bumps in the road, but that both counties, given the financial cost of transporting inmates, are very motivated to work out the any problems they might encounter.
During last week’s meeting, the fiscal court named Sheriff Lawrence Hodge as the transportation officer for the county.
Hodge said Tuesday that since the jail closed, his department has transported about 25 prisoners, most of whom went to the Clay County Detention Center. Sheriff’s officials said that it normally takes a nearly three-hour round trip to get from Williamsburg to Clay County and back, but that varies depending on traffic conditions, and construction on the interstate.
He estimated that it might take up to four additional employees to take care of the inmate transportation needs.
Hodge said that he expected to learn by Wednesday whether he would need to hire new part-time officers to assist with the transportation of prisoners, or if the fiscal court or corrections were going hire the new officers and pay their salaries.
Up until now, Hodge has been using his existing deputies to do the transporting, in addition to some auxiliary deputies, who are friends doing it for free. He admits he is going through friends quickly at this rate though.
Hodge said he hasn’t figured out how much extra it is costing his department in gasoline costs alone to transport prisoners, but that to fill up a police cruiser it is costing $42, and that each trip to Clay County takes nearly a whole tank of gas.
Hodge, Chief Deputy Tim Shelley, and Capt. Todd Shelley flew to Texas Thursday to pick up three used police cruisers that will be used to replace some that were wrecked or have had engine problems recently.
Deputies drove the cruisers back Friday during a trip that took about 17 or 18 hours.
Hodge said the used cruisers have about 60,000 miles on them, and that most of his newest vehicles already have that many miles on them.
During last week’s meeting, the fiscal court also authorized Magistrate Nolan Bird, and several other county officials to inventory the items remaining in the Whitley County Jail, and to lock the jail doors after the inventory is complete.
The fiscal court had the locks on the jail changed Saturday.
Patrick said Jailer Jerry Taylor hasn’t been back in the jail since Saturday, but that he had been in there prior to this, which is something the county had known about.
Whitley County officials plan to resume the work of inventorying all the items at the jail Wednesday.
Patrick said officials began the effort Monday, and hope to wrap up by the end of the week.
All jail employees are currently laid off.
Patrick said he plans to call a special meeting by late this week, and during that meeting the fiscal court will be asked to require Taylor to work as a court bailiff in order to collect his nearly $60,000 salary.
“I think statutorily he will be required to be a bailiff. We had named Mr. Hodge as a transport officer, and if the jailer is not the transport officer, he is required by statute to be the bailiff in district and circuit court,” Patrick said.