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Commissioners agree to increase number of inmates housed at jail
The state pays the county $50 a day to house prisoners.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Lawrence County commissioners agreed to increase the number of state prisoners housed at the county jail by 10 to 15.
At their Tuesday meeting, the panel amended its contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to accept a minimum of 60 and maximum of 65 prisoners. Previously, the limit had been 50.
The move could bring the jail an additional $20,000 per month, which is needed in light of the county’s possible budget shortfall for the end of this year, the commissioners said.
The state pays the county $50 per day for each prisoner, which is mostly profit, said Commissioner Steve Craig, who added that it costs the county about an additional $5 in food because the staffing is already in place.
The jail has a 275-bed capacity, but the average census is only about 165. The additional prisoners should be arriving in two to three months.
Though there had been some problems with the state prisoners initially when they discovered that they were given fewer privileges at the county jail, the problems have now been ironed out, Craig said.
The County Prison Board is expected to confirm the move when it meets in December.
The commissioners also handled these matters:
UAnnounced that the Stavich Bike Trail will formally reopen with a ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Union Township terminus of the bike trail on West Washington Street. Craig said the ceremony will take place in the parking lot, and parking will be allowed on West Washington Sreet.
The trail, which is owned by First Energy Corp. and leased to the county, has undergone almost $500,000 in renovations including paving, installation of new signs, repair of three bridges, replacement of 32 culverts and bank stabilization.
The 10.5-mile trail runs from Union Township to Lowellville, with seven miles of the trail located in Pennsylvania.
Craig said the entire project was done with grant funds.
UHeard a report from Treasurer Richard Rapone that late county property-tax collections are already $14,447 ahead of last November’s total when $131,000 was collected for the entire month.
Rapone said $145,447 was collected this month since he sent out late tax reminders early in the hope of bringing revenue in quicker.
UAgreed to have Commissioner Dan Vogler contact Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to see why I-376 signs have not yet been installed on the portion of the road in Lawrence County though they have in portions of Beaver and Allegheny County. Pa. Route 60 in Lawrence was recently renamed I-376.
UReminded residents that the courthouse and county offices will be closed next week as a cost-cutting measure. Only the jail, E-911 Center and coroner’s office will remain open.