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| Cascade County to get $59.15/ Day to house Inmates |
| By Karl Puckett , Reach Tribune Staff Writer , greatfallstribune.com |
| Published: 05/11/2011 |
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The Cascade County Sheriff's Office is getting a $633,983 infusion of funds from the state Department of Corrections after the agencies reached a deal settling per-diem rates for housing state inmates at the Cascade County Regional Detention Center on Gore Hill. Commander Dan O'Fallon said the money will be used to build reserves and for operational costs to get the department through the 2011 fiscal year, which ends June 30. "This is a great help to us," O'Fallon said. Commissioners Jane Weber, Bill Salina and Joe Briggs voted 3-0 to approve the agreement calling for a $5 daily per inmate increase to $59.15 for fiscal years 2009, 2010 and 2011. "It's based on actual costs, so as actual costs go up, we're allowed to recapture true costs," Salina said. With the agreement, the county and the state are only a year behind in setting the per diem, which is about where they should be, O'Fallon said. Per diem reimbursement is based on actual expenses from the previous year. The state pays the county a daily per diem rate per inmate to house state prisoners at the detention center. A formula in state law defines costs that can be reimbursed, but delays in per diem agreements have been common in recent years, resulting in a backlog over differences in "true costs." Rhonda Schaffer, administrator of the DOC's administrative and financial services division, said by telephone from Helena that the county now has validated its costs. She credited an improved working relationship between the county and state in reaching the agreement. In other business, Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve a preliminary plat of an upscale housing development called Missouri River Big Bend III south of Great Falls. Big Bend III calls for buildable lots for residential homes and 11 lots zoned "open space," where houses will not be built. The commission will vote June 14 on rezoning the land where the 11 undeveloped are planned to open space. A condition of approval of the preliminary plat requires that a second emergency access road be constructed when the 17th lot of Big Bend II and Big Bend III is developed. Big Bend II, which features 140 acres and 323 lots, was approved in 2009. Commissioner Jane Weber questioned the precedent the condition would create. "This is something that could become a tracking nightmare," she said. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials also raised concerns about the cumulative impact the housing development would have on wildlife habitat near the river, Planning Director Susan Conell said. Protections for wildlife habitat are included in the development's covenants, she said. Commissioners also agreed to approve an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, giving the West Great Falls Flood Control and Drainage District two years to get its levee certified. District members voted unanimously May 2 to sign the agreement. City Commissioners followed up with their approval on May 3, leaving only county commissioners to sign off. The levy falls within the city and county boundaries. Click here to read more: |
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