City to consider again diverting some prisoners from the county jail to house arrest.

YOUNGSTOWN — City council is being asked by the administration to renew a contract to divert some nonviolent prisoners from the Mahoning County jail to house arrest.

Council will consider the request at its meeting Wednesday.

Also at that meeting, council will consider a proposal to use a $744,700 U.S. Department of Energy grant, with about two-thirds of the money going toward major energy conservation improvements to the city-owned 20 Federal Place office building, the former Phar-Mor corporate headquarters on 20 W. Federal St.

The city will use most of the money on energy-efficient lighting throughout the 9-floor building as well as install energy-efficient windows on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors, and make improvements to the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

As for the house arrest contract renewal, the city will pay $40,000 to CCA plus $4 a day for each defendant. Since the program was first implemented on a trial basis in August 2008 till this past January, an 18-month period, the city has paid $137,240 to CCA.

The renewal has a two-year city option for the same $40,000 annual fee, but increases the daily fee to $5.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com