Staffing New Jail Proves County's Next Challenge

The Stone County Quorum Court plans to hold a law enforcement committee meeting this week to continue discussion of how best to staff the new county jail, now expected to open in August.

At the regular meeting last Thursday night, justices of the peace received a proposed staffing plan from Sheriff Brandon Long, who said the jail’s design and size will require separate jailers and dispatchers rather than the current combined positions. The dispatch area will be totally separate from the jailers’ control room.

The current jail has 39 beds, while the new one will have 74. Three jailers plus two dispatchers per shift will be needed, meaning the staff will go from 16 total positions to 22-25. Long said the absolute minimum staff will not adequately cover situations of someone being sick, on vacation, etc. The higher number assures full coverage of shifts without overtime expense.

Complicating the issue is that all 16 positions currently in place are not filled and no one is answering ads for the four open jobs, Long said, adding that he doesn’t know if the jail has ever been fully staffed. JP’s discussed the need to advertise that the $13 per hour pay is prior to benefits being factored in, and that the gross pay is more like $20-$22.

Long emphasized in a later interview that the jail must be in compliance before it can open. The county currently has 14 jailer/dispatchers, one nurse and one administrator, so has the staff to meet the minimum number of jailers (13). However, it leaves the dispatching short. Long said the state does not mandate dispatching positions, but he agrees with the recommendation to have two on each shift, so nine is the minimum number needed.

Long also clarified that the number of jailers required is not simply tied to the number of inmates, but factors in classification of offense, male/female, and other factors affecting cell assignments.
Sterling Penix, Criminal Detention Facilities Review Office Coordinator, was in attendance and told JPs he is impressed with the new jail facility. He suggested the county implement a staff plan and then re-evaluate after about six months when other costs such as monthly utilities can be budgeted more accurately.

Penix has been involved in advising the county regarding its jail since the current facility was declared out of compliance about 10 years ago.

In March of 2020, voters approved a temporary half-cent sales tax to fund construction of the jail, but rejected a permanent quarter-cent sales tax designated for operational costs.
As of press time, the committee meeting was set for Tuesday morning.

In other business:

•JPs heard from Jessica Sterlin, the county’s new veterans service officer. Sterlin, a retired Arkansas Air National Guard veteran with 22 years of service, said she is passionate about serving veterans and considers it a calling. Currently in her last year of employment at the Ozark Folk Center State Park, she has a volunteer who helps keep the office open. Hours currently are Monday - noon to 3 p.m.; Tuesday - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Wednesday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sterlin conducts meetings outside those hours as needed, and visits veterans who cannot travel to the office.

• resident Michael Stewart addressed JPs to register his opposition to the use of Flock cameras, which use license plate recognition among other data to monitor traffic. He said there are five cameras in the city and he does not trust government, especially since he cannot see who is looking at his information. He said he does trust city and county officers to keep the public safe, which he said they can do “without Flock cameras giving our information to who knows who, for who knows what.”

• JPs heard a report from Extension Agent Tyler Caston on recent 4-H activities and upcoming classes and events.

• JPs approved an appropriations ordinance allocating additional funds and transferring funds for this year’s budget. These included $21,000 for police vehicles, $7,500 in overtime for the road department work following recent flooding, $2,000 for a bullet-proof vest, and more than $25,000 in Title III funds for Allison-Sylamore VFD. In addition, $763,512.54 was transferred into the jail construction account for expected costs, and another $777,379.29 was transferred into the fund for contingencies. Avey noted that the jail funds have been in county coffers, but needed to be allocated so they could be spent.

• JPs discussed the idea of implementing a leash law inside the courtyard in response to complaints of dogs being loose during weekend music events. JPs agreed to start with signage at the entrances giving notice to keep dogs leashed and to clean up after them.

• County Judge Stacey Avey notified JPs there will be a program on July 4th for the America 250 celebration. Following a 10 a.m. parade, there will be a program at the courthouse. A special flag has been added to the state flagpole, and an elm tree has been planted.

• Avey notified JPs that he has re-appointed Georgie Church to the Stone County Equalization Board.