By Cheryl Splain, KnoxPages.com Reporter
MOUNT VERNON — The county is moving forward with the purchase of a body scanner for the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. The County Commissioners Thom Collier and Teresa Bemiller signed the agreement on Thursday.
Nuctech makes the scanner, which has a price tag of $49,999 and a 90-day trial period. “We have had ongoing jail contraband issues,” said Sheriff Dave Shaffer. “We don’t see any other alternative.”
“The liability if someone gets something into the jail and has an overdose is far more than the cost of the machine,” said Collier. “We want people to know that it’s going to be there.”
Shaffer anticipates an installation date toward the end of March. The commissioners and the KCSO will each pay 40 percent of the cost; the prosecutor’s office will pay the remaining 10 percent.
The jail population as of Feb. 16 is 77; 14 are female and four are federal inmates. Shaffer said he expects training for the new central control program to begin in mid March with installation the first part of June. He also said that he has met with Public Defender John Pyle. Pyle wants to increase the time spent at the jail meeting the inmates so that the legal process can get started quicker.
The commissisoners’ morning agenda included meetings with Matthew Kurtz, director of Knox County Job & Family Services, and John Carhart, Knox County dog warden.
Kurtz said he is keeping an eye on developments regarding the Affordable Health Care Act because it affects funding, budgets and eligibility requirements. “There’s a lot of flurry but not much happening,” he said.
Regarding the state budget, Kurtz said, “We are happy we didn’t get hit too hard with the governor’s budget. The big push we need help with is children’s services.” He said that other funding streams are steady.
KCJ&FS will soon roll out its campaign to recruit new foster parents. “We fill up quickly the 10 homes we have currently,” and we have to place [children in a home] at a higher cost or send them out of county.”
Regarding the recruitment goal, Kurtz said, “I don’t think we could have an upper number, but we’re hoping to get at least a dozen.” This is the first time in several years the department has campaigned for more foster parents.
“I think it’s good timing to let folks know what’s going on as much as possible,” he said, adding that economics, opioids and meth “are dynamics we are seeing play out. Kurtz said the cash assistance program continues to have low enrollment; the food assistance program remains steady.
Carhart reported that the Knox County Animal Shelter took in 47dogs in January; 32 dogs left the shelter. The average length of stay was 36 days. There are two dogs designated as dangerous. Jason Booth, county administrator, will meet with Carhart soon to discuss the status of the shelter’s vehicles an eye toward planning a time frame for replacing the vehicles. Two are 10 years old with 140,000 miles on them and need frequent repairs.