Id be hard-pressed to say we have one (juvenile) a month incarcerated at the Southeast Kansas Juvenile Detention Center in Girard, Sheriff Bryan Murphy said, after Allen County commissioners were urged Tuesday morning to consider ending a contract with the center.
Allen County pays $6,000 a month toward the center, said County Attorney Jerry Hathaway.
With a larger population, Bourbon County pays $10,000 a month, others more, including Montgomery County at $27,000.
Hathaway wants to redo Allens contract, as Bourbon is doing, so it pays on a per diem basis. Based on its current rate of $6,000 a month, Hathaway figured a daily rate of $200 would be suitable.
I dont think weve sent any juveniles there in the last two or three months, and if we did it was for no more than 72 hours, Murphy said. Weve had two or three there at one time, but usually none.
The last time Allen used the center for any extended period, to Murphys recollection, was in 2006 when a juvenile charged with murder was held there for several months.
Hathaway also wondered whether it might be wise to visit with officials of a similar facility in Johnson County about daily costs. The distance (from Iola) isnt much different.
Commission Chairman Tom Williams, a former sheriff, recalled the countys contribution to the center early on was for its construction in the 1990s, and its never changed.
The discussion came up when Hathaway met with commissioners about his 2019 budget. He requested $430,500, compared with a touch over $400,000 this year, including a 50 percent increase in a line item to meet medical costs.
We have $8,000 budgeted this year ($12,000 is proposed for 2019) and it is being eaten up quickly, Hathaway said. Essentially the fund is used to pay for examinations in rape cases, usually about $800 each.
I have three (bills) on my desk right now, he added, although they are from cases of weeks ago, not the immediate past.
Other budget considerations:
Public Works: $2.92 million, 2018; $3.38 million, 2019, with the increase for road materials and equipment.
Southeast Kansas Mental Health: $149,115 for 2019, same as this year.
Rodney Burns, a Chanute certified public accountant who has helped construct Allen County budgets and also performed audits for more than 30 years, asked about a couple of intricacies and said he would have a first draft of the 2019 budget ready for viewing the middle of July. Burns also said he would do the next audit, a time-consuming process, for $16,500, the same as the county paid this year. Asked by citizen Larry Walden if such an expenditure should be bid, commissioners roundabout answer was no.
IN OTHER NEWS,
commissioners:
Heard a presentation from Don Meats, a proponent of Southern Coffey County High School honor flights, in which he pointed out 21 Allen County veterans had been flown to Washington, D.C. They were among 406 from several counties who have participated. The next flight is in November, with 65 applications having been received and more coming in. Meats asked for the countys support, which commissioners gave but without an appropriation, which they may consider later.
Approved maps showing roads EDP Renewals will improve on its nickel to handle heavy traffic for construction of a wind farm holding about 60 turbines in northeast Allen County. County Counselor Alan Weber said excavations had occurred at several turbine sites, but no concrete could be poured or turbine components brought in until designated roads were improved.
