The Leflore County Board of Supervisors has approved an agreement with the Mississippi Department of Corrections to start a work program with up to 50 male inmates housed at the county jail.
The board voted unanimously Monday to enter into the Joint State-County Work Program, pending legal review and the signing of interlocal agreements with those entities that wish to use inmate labor.
The minimum-security inmates who participate will receive a reduction in sentence of one day for every day worked.
The program was initiated by Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks after the county learned MDOC was changing the population of the Technical Violation Center from male to female. The Technical Violation Center, located near the county jail, has been providing inmate labor to the county, the city of Greenwood and Mississippi Valley State University, among others.
Those using the inmates under the new program will be required to pay the county $32 per day per inmate, according to a fee schedule developed by Leflore County Jail Warden Tyrone Banks and board President Robert Collins. The sum will be used to cover the cost of a new case manager and four additional correctional officers at the county jail, Tyrone Banks said, as well as the cost of housing the inmates.
Ed Hargett, a corrections consultant to the board, said inmate labor has been saving the county and city alone more than $81,000 per month.
MDOC will be able to terminate the contract at any time without notice, and the county may terminate the contract with 10 days’ written notice, District 2’s Reginald Moore read from paperwork provided to the board.
The Sheriff’s Department will immediately move forward in the interview process for the additional hires needed for the work program, Undersheriff Ken Spencer said.
In other business, the board approved allocating $60,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to help the Greenwood Community and Recreation Center install air conditioning at its facility, if it’s legal to do so.
Center director Larry “Kite” Johnson said the project would include two 25-ton heating and air-conditioning units and will cost $110,000 overall. The former county supervisor reminded the board that the Rec Center’s gym has not had air conditioning since the center opened more than 30 years ago.
“For perspective, I had hair, and I'm bald now,” he joked.
He also reminded the supervisors that the center serves as a voting precinct.
Moore spoke up in favor of the funding for the center, which is in his district. “Especially in District 2, we want to make sure we keep our voting precincts up,” he chuckled.
Sam Abraham of District 1 pointed out that the board would need to place a public advertisement if it gives any money to the center, and District 3’s Anjuan Brown motioned to send the proposal to the law firm that is advising the county on how it can spend its coronavirus relief funds.
If the firm signs off on the expenditure, each district will kick in $12,000 from its ARPA allocation.
The board also:
- Was informed by Collins that injured Board Attorney Neysha Sanders was doing much better and was expected to return to the board meetings in “the next couple of weeks.”
Sanders has been recuperating from injuries she suffered Oct. 3 during an attack at her home. Her mother, former Leflore County Circuit Judge Betty Sanders, filled in for her daughter at Monday’s meeting.
- Approved accepting a grant from Delta Regional Authority for infrastructure, if the board attorney signs off on the contract. County engineer Shane Correro said the grant of around $340,000 would fund road work on County Road 626 to Wildwood Plantation Gin.
- Approved contributing up to $3,000 for refreshments, signage and production equipment for the unveiling of the Emmett Till statue in Greenwood Oct. 21.
- Gave approval for the county inventory clerk to accept the fixed asset inventory report for 2021-2022.
- Gave approval to the county court and Sheriff’s Department to apply for credit cards.
- Held a half-hour executive session to discuss issues with security doors and monitors in the county jail, but the board took no action, Collins said.
- Contact Katherine Parker at 662-581-7239 or kparker@gwcommonwealth.com.
