Published: February 24, 2009 10:20 am      

Sheriff comes in under budget; burn ban back on

DUNCAN — Feeding inmates, tending to their medical needs and a possibility that crime could increase this year were all topics Sheriff Wayne McKinney shared with county commissioners Monday.

To feed a county inmate these days averages about $3.30 a day. McKinney told the commissioners that he’s hoping to reduce that to about $2.50 to $2.75 a day.

In January, the budget for food and beverage was set at $15,725 and expenses came in at $4,600.25 under that allotted amount. The expenses totaled $11,124.75 for the month.

McKinney told the commissioners there is a lot of work being done to control those expenses. One measure includes having a nutritionist so healthier meals are served and not so much “chicken fried steak.” He said he noticed when signing blanket purchase orders one day, for food service purchases, there was one that was more than $7,000 over what had been asked for. That’s something he wants to avoid. There were 10,092 meals prepared.

“Feeding inmates and the medical costs are astronomical,” he said.

In order to reduce those costs, McKinney is following Department of Corrections guidelines. He said that sometimes a person never seems sick, but when they end up in jail, all of a sudden they are sick for many things or need medicine they never needed before.

Now those inmates will have to pay a $5 fee each time they visit a nurse and they will be charged for over-the-counter drugs, such as cold medicines, if they request them. McKinney hopes that will reduce some of those costs, which ultimately come out of taxpayers’ pockets.

“It’s not our responsibility to supply them with those drugs,” he said. “Hopefully, this will curb those requests. That system is prime for abuse.”

McKinney has also been visible throughout the county dealing with crime.

“We’ve had a big burglary ring for years and we are starting to make some progress on it. Some is county equipment that was stolen from the fairgrounds,” he said. “I’m afraid the thefts, burglaries, in our county are going to get worse.”

Commissioner Darrell Sparks said that’s a possibility as people start losing jobs. McKinney sounded hopeful, though, as he mentioned that Stephens County is still faring better than many other counties in the state or even across the nation.

In other business, McKinney let the commissioners know that he was concerned about safety and is interested in obtaining automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the county courthouse. He said not only does he need one for the jail, but he’d like to see at least one available for the courthouse, if not one for each floor. Emergency Management Director Gary Ball stopped in during the meeting and said they cost about $1,200.

AEDs check heart rhythms and are promoted by the American Heart Association.

In other business, commissioners reinstated the countywide burn ban, which is good for seven days.

They also approved the purchase of six bucking chutes from WW in Comanche, for $17,000. The chutes have been used one time. The other bid submitted was from Priefert and included price for a used and a new set. Cost for the used chutes was $18,810.50 and the new, $23,187.02.

Commissioner Todd Churchman also made a recommendation to reject a bid for flange beams and other materials for use in District 2. The rejection was approved by Sparks and also by John Standridge, who was filling in for Commissioner Dee Bowen. Standridge is Bowen’s road foreman. Bowen was working at the county livestock show Monday.

Other business included rescinding the acceptance of a bid awarded to Petroleum Marketers Equipment Co. LLC on Feb. 17, for the purchase of an above-ground fuel storage tank system for District 3. The specifications will need to be revised and the item re-bid at a later date.