Sheriff’s numbers on prisoner costs don’t add up

Sheriff’s numbers on
prisoner costs don’t add up

EDITOR:

I would like to respond to the misleading statements contained in Sheriff Wellington’s Oct. 25 news conference.

The most astounding one is that he can provide mandatory program services at no cost to the county.

He cannot.

The memorandum of understanding and grant funds he said would be used from the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Board expired June 30.

The sheriff has been advised of this and, despite this awareness, chose to mislead the general public. He then argues that he can use the $235,000 to open a 52-inmate pod.

His math is fuzzy in that his stated cost, which he charges the city and the federal government, is $68 per day.

Fifty-two inmates at $68 is $1,290,640 a year. If, however, he can do it at that cost, 520 inmates would cost $2,320,000 a year, not the $12,000,000 he has budgeted for the jail.

Wellington also said that five other counties use volunteers at no cost. What he didn’t say is that none of these counties operate minimum security jails that are required by Section 5120:1-8-11(E), to provide these services.

Of the five counties that do operate minimum security jails, Summit and Hamilton counties contract out the entire operation to non-profit organizations costing over $1 million.

The sheriff is aware, or should be, that under ORC341.34, a minimum security jail “...shall not be used to confine any person unless it is in compliance with all minimum standards...”

Should he not be providing same or similar services, he is operating a jail illegally.

The county commissioners should require the sheriff to present who and what services are currently being provided and if these services satisfy the policy and procedures approved by the common pleas courts.

If not, the federal monitors should require the same.

This is not a “vested interest” issue. Our current contract is $120,000 in the context of our total operating budget of over $5,000,000.

This is about a public official who either is attempting to mislead the county, or was grossly misinformed.

RICHARD J. BILLAK, CEO

Community Corrections Association

Youngstown

Should we rely on China?

EDITOR:

I would like to applaud my friend Mickey Bolt of Wheatland Tube Co. for showing everyone what kind of people we are dealing with in our government agencies. By showing the photo of Chinese pipe being used to build the fence along the U.S. Mexican border, he has shown what kind of people we have running these agencies. It all starts at the top, from (Mr. I Love China) G.W. Bush to everyone of his “yes” men. If they use Chinese pipe to build the fence along the border, can you imagine how many other Chinese products are used on other projects? Should we stamp on the side of our tanks, planes and weaponry “made with Chinese steel?” Probably so.

There is one thing that I could not understand when this story broke. Why wasn’t this story plastered all over the major networks? I think everyone in the nation should know what’s going on with this Chinese-loving administration. This story should be kept alive so that when some other low life company wants to try to rip off the American people like the federal government did, then we can bring that to the attention of the American people also.

BUD McKELVEY

Hermitage PA