BY DENNIS BARTLOW
Commercial-News
COVINGTON, Ind. —
Don’t expect any additional inmates in the Fountain County Jail in the near future.
Sheriff Bobby Bass told the Fountain County Commissioners Monday that the Indiana Department of Corrections has turned down the request for “double bunking.”
Bass said that he is contacting federal authorities in Washington about doing assessments on the needs of the county jail.
Lee W. Hoard, jail inspector for the north region of the Indiana Department of Corrections, said in a letter to county officials that he “would not, at this time, recommend any increase in offender population.”
Hoard said the jail is not required to follow the American Correction Association Standards for Adult Correctional Facilities since it was built prior to Jan. 1, 1982, but he had reservations about increasing the number.
“There are currently three visitation booths and jail staff report that with the current capacity at 25 inmates, it takes all the time between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to get visits completed,” he said. “To add additional officers may require a modification of the visitation period and possibly additional staff.”
He said the cells and cell blocks do not meet current ACA standards.
“It should be noted that with the current design of the jail and the number of inmates currently present, jail personnel cannot adequately classify the offenders as required by the Indiana jail standards,” Hoard said. “Other concerns are the size of the current kitchen, number of staff to supervise offenders, limited space for indoor/outdoor recreation and limited dining areas for the offenders.”
The commissioners did not comment.
In other business, commissioners:
-- Approved the septic tank ordinance presented by the Fountain-Warren Health Department. The only concern commissioners had was the 60-day period to come in compliance.
“Sometimes 60 days is a small window,” Commissioner Terry Ellingwood said.
“Sixty days really gives them a big window,” said Greg Robinson of the health department. “I have stretched as much as possible to work with the system.”
-- Heard from Rusty Peevler, highway superintendent, who said the current communication system will be obsolete and won’t meet federal guidelines in February 2013.
-- Learned Peevler will attend a hearing on Bridge 97 Wednesday at the Indiana Department of Transportation office at Crawfordsville.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Fountain County Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m. June 21 at the courthouse.
