Agenda - 03-16-2021; 8-a - Minutes

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12 1 excellent job. He said Orange County provides excellent care in a strategic location within the 2 State. 3 Commissioner Hamilton referred to the reimbursement rates, and asked if staff could 4 distinguish between variable costs and fixed costs. 5 Travis Myren said 60-70% of the costs are personnel. He said the variable costs are 6 connected to food and medical expenses. 7 Commissioner Hamilton asked if the personnel costs fluctuate due to the jail census. 8 Travis Myren said the Sheriff makes staffing decisions, but reducing costs would mean 9 closing a housing unit. 10 Commissioner Hamilton asked if the size of housing units could be identified. 11 Chief Jamie Sykes said the pods are around 24 people. He said in the old part of the 12 jail, one cell varies from 6-12 people. 13 Commissioner Dorosin clarified that is does not take the same number of personnel to 14 guard 1 person as it does 24. 15 Sheriff Blackwood said it takes a certain number of people to operate a jail, which is not 16 dependent on the number of inmates. 17 Commissioner Dorosin reviewed the costs listed in the agenda abstract, and asked if 18 there is a sense it will cost more in the new facility. He asked if the contract costs are fixed. He 19 said if the plan is to still accept federal inmates after the pandemic, will the average daily federal 20 inmate population go back up to 40-50 people. He asked, if the jail population is low enough to 21 close a unit, would the staffing structure change. He said the conversation started with a 22 discussion on how big the new jail should be, because there is a goal to reduce the incarcerated 23 population in Orange County. He said if the goal is to reduce the population, the County should 24 eliminate the housing of federal inmates. 25 Sheriff Blackwood said federal inmates will be housed somewhere, and he believes 26 Orange County treats inmates humanely and the detention facility is the best place these 27 inmates can be housed. He discussed how the pod structure works, with deputies watching 28 over the pod in a central location. He said the detention center is already operating with 29 minimal staffing, and all are necessary to the basic functioning of the building. He said costs of 30 the new detention center will not be known until the facility opens. He said measures to reduce 31 costs are being researched and implemented. He said the contract with the federal marshals 32 can be renegotiated if it is felt that the County is not getting reimbursed for the full cost of 33 housing inmates. He said the Board could decide not to have the federal inmate program in 34 Orange County. He said it may reduce logistical headaches, and there will be financial impacts. 35 He said it comes up every single year, and the BOCC should decide what it wants to do. 36 Commissioner Dorosin said he would like to get rid of the federal inmate program. 37 Commissioner McKee the Board intended to use diversion programs to reduce the jail 38 population, which have been successful. He said the Board reviews the federal program 39 repeatedly, and if the federal program is ended, the costs of running the detention center will 40 continue. He said the federal reimbursement helps the detention center operate, and if the 41 Board does away with it, the Board will have to find funds elsewhere. He said Orange County 42 treats the inmates well, and the County does not have the money to operate the detention 43 center without the reimbursement. 44 Chair Price said she supported depopulating the jail of local residents. She asked if the 45 County accepts federal inmates so they are closer to court locations. 46 Chief Jamie Sykes said Orange County is centrally located to transport federal inmates 47 to federal court in Greensboro and Durham. He agreed that Orange County treats federal 48 inmates humanely. He said the County agreed to take federal inmates recently because other 49 jails were overcrowded, and taking federal inmates allows the inmates to have some semblance 50 of closeness to their family and friends. He said federal inmates transferred from other jails 51 comment that Orange County provides a better environment and treats them with respect.