VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The chairman of the Barnes County jail committee Bill Carlblom said he believes a new facility under discussion should be constructed as a joint law enforcement center to house the Sheriff’s Office, Valley City Police Department, the 9-1-1 dispatch center and a 40 bed jail facility.
The committee members discussed several options for the proposed facility on Thursday, May 9th following their tour of three newer facilities of similar size in North Dakota.
The current jail is more than 100 years old and has lost several certifications to house inmates no longer than four days. Members say transportation costs have been much higher since they lost their certification.
Earlier this year, Stutsman County established an agreement with Barnes County to provide space for inmates they currently can’t keep at the Barnes County jail.
In April, members of the Barnes County Jail committee voted to pursue every available resource to build a new jail estimated at $9 to $13 million along the I-94 corridor east of Valley City. Under the plan, the county would purchase the land owned by the Valley City Barnes County Development Corporation.
The next Barnes County Jail Committee meeting is tentatively set for Monday, May 20th at 6pm in the Barnes County Commission Chambers.
The following information is about inmate transportation costs gathered by Barnes County Office Deputy Kallie Gruman.
The first is 40 transports from 12/12/18 thru 3/18/19 (including time in court) (we try and take more than 1 prisoner on a transport at a time if able.)
54 prisoners transported total; 76.5 hours (rounded to nearest half hour)/40 transports = 1.91 hours per transport (court time included) Average deputy pay is $27.19 (hourly wage of deputies/7) per hour- $27.19 x 76.5 (rounded to nearest half hour = $2,080.35 Approx. 3,140 miles @ .58 cents per mile = $1,821.20. Total approximate cost for transport from 12/12/18/3/18/19 = $3,901.55
These are costs for transports to and from Stutsman County Correctional Center.
April 9, 2019
6 transports from 3/19/19 thru 3/31/19 (including time in court) (we try and take more than 1 prisoner on a transport at a time if able) 9 prisoners transported total
16 hours (rounded to nearest half hour)/6 transports = 2.66 hours per transport (court time included)
Average deputy pay is $27.19 (hourly wage of deputies/7) per hour- $27.19 x 16 (rounded to nearest half hour = $435.04 Approx. 630 miles @ .58 cents per mile= $365.40 Total approximate cost for transport from 3/19/19-3/31/19 = $800.44
May 3, 2019
8 transports from 4/1-4/30/19 (including time in court) (we try and take more than 1 prisoner on a transport at a time if able) 12 prisoners transported total 22.50 hours (rounded to nearest half hour)/8 transports = 2.81 hours per transport (court time included) Average deputy pay is $27.19 (hourly wage of deputies/7) per hour- $27.19 x 12 (rounded to nearest half hour = $326.28 Approx. 1,028 miles @ .58 cents per mile= $596.24. Total approximate cost for transport from 4/1-4/30/19 = $922.52. Total approximate cost from transports since 12/12/18-3/18/19 = $3,901.55.
3/19/19 thru 3/31/19 = $800.44
4/1/19 thru 4/30/19 = $922.52
Total: $5,624.51
These are costs for transports to/from the Stutsman County Correctional Center.
These are the approximate transport costs from when the jail was downgraded through April 30th of 2019.
Kallie Gruman
Office Deputy
Barnes County Sheriff’s Office
701-845-8530
kgruman@barnescounty.us