Mayor Rudy Pope explained to the Bruce board of aldermen Tuesday night that the cost for the town will increase from $25 to $35 a day for housing inmates at the county jail based on a new contract from the county they’ve been asked to approve.
He explained they can recoup the $35 through an addition to the local fine, but it’s the other expenses in the proposed contract that concern him.
“There’s tremendous cost for medical services such as $50 an hour if a deputy has to take one of our prisoners somewhere,” Pope said. “If our prisoner needs to go to a doctor, it’s on us to take them.”
Looking through the contract, aldermen took issue with a lot of the costs included.
“What are our options?” Alderman Jimmy Hubbard asked.
“I don’t know that we have any,” Pope said.
“Can we negotiate?” Hubbard asked of the contract.
“I’m sure we can,” Pope said.
“I talked to Mayor (Amye Hill) at Calhoun City today and I know she’s not happy with this either,” Pope said. “I want y’all to read through all of this contract and help determine what we need to do.”
In a related matter, Mayor Pope said the town is looking at increasing some of its fines.
“We need to go up to offset some of our increased costs,” Pope said.
“Attorney Jim Beckett is looking into what fines and how much they can be raised,” Pope said. “We want people to understand that we get a very small portion of these fines. Our interest is raising the portion that we’re able to keep.”
In other news from the meeting:
•Heather Garcia has been paying her garbage bill to the city when it should have been paid to the county. She lives in the county but has City of Bruce water service. The board agreed to refund $460.78.
•There were no public comments regarding the proposed budget for next fiscal year. The budget does not include a tax increase.
•The board granted use of the square for the annual Skuna River Arts Festival on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
•The board approved purchase of advertising signs worth $200 for the Bruce High School gymnasium.
•The board heard a proposal on different types of fire trucks, commercial or custom, and the various warranty options. The board agreed to purchase a custom truck and are actively seeking grants to help offset the price of $383,507. The town has $110,000 saved to apply toward the purchase. The town will finance the balance after all available funding is secured.
•An amended vacation policy for town employees was defeated on a 3-2 vote.
•Board approved final order for exempting specific properties at Weyerhaeuser from ad valorem taxes.
•Mayor Pope said the town didn’t get the grant sought for a new walking/bike path around Bruce Park, but plan to reapply and have gotten some free dirt for the project they will stockpile.
•Board asked the mayor to get an estimate to fix the leaking roof at Bruce Community Living Center.