Wanted: State and federal prisoners for Big Horn County Jail
By KARLA POMEROY
County officials anticipate Big Horn County Jail revenues will decline with the opening of the new Wyoming prison in Torrington, however, Sheriff Ken Blackburn told the Big Horn County commissioners last Tuesday, March 2, that “February doesn’t look great but was not as bad as expected.”
Revenues totaled $84,754.13 in February, with the majority coming from federal prison contracts and only about $11,600 from state inmates. Blackburn said that $11,000 will be going away as the Torrington prison is able to accommodate more prisoners.
He said he has been negotiating with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to house prisoners since Big Horn County is already a certified federal facility. If successful, the county could house prisoners from the Wind River Indian Reservation and from a reservation in Montana.
Commissioners Jerry Ewen and Keith Grant told Blackburn that while they were at the 2010 Legislature in Cheyenne they spoke to State Treasurer Max Maxfield and State Auditor Rita Meyer. They said they told them that while they did not have a written contract with the state when the county obtained the State Loan and Investment Board grant there was an understanding that the county would house state prisoners.
Blackburn said he is also checking with other nearby states including California and Washington about contracting for prisoners. “We’re not looking at hard core sex offenders, homicides or flight or escape risk prisoners,” Blackburn said.
Ewen asked if Blackburn was preparing long-range plans if other revenue avenues did not come to fruition. Blackburn said he is expecting this year’s budget to be tight.
Grant asked if an option would be to close down a portion of the jail and house the prisoners in what was originally designed as the juvenile pod.
Blackburn said they are averaging 55 prisoners a day, but only 20 of those are county inmates.
“We’re going to continue to get new contracts,” he said.
Despite the possible upcoming budget constraints, Blackburn said as of March 1 the county now has 24-hour coverage. He said with the help of the school resource officer and the deputy shared with Frannie and Deaver they are able to schedule 24-hour coverage, which will be less expensive than having officers on call in the late hours.
He said deputies will work four days on and four days off. Part-time officers will help cover a few shifts, including three in March, he said.