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State: New law will save local governments money on prisoner health care costs

Posted at 8:56 am August 4, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A new state law is expected to provide relief to government budgets in mandated health care costs for inmates, a press release said.

Tennessee Senator Mike Bell, R-Riceville, and Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank recently held a news conference in Knoxville to discuss the benefits to taxpayers that will result from the legislation, the release said. They were joined by Candace Allen from the Helen Ross McNabb Center.

The press release said the legislation was a result of a brainstorming session sponsored by the Tennessee Association of Professional Bail Agents in East Tennessee late last year. Sheriffs, district attorneys, county executives, judges, corrections administrators, health professionals, and bail bondsmen representing more than 32 Tennessee counties gathered to discuss the shared concern of jail overcrowding and costs threatening county budgets across the state.

“This new law sets out a framework and legal basis for counties to reduce medical expenses for inmates who receive medical care outside of a jail,” said Bell, who is chairman of the Senate Government Operations Committee. “While it does not solve all the issues surrounding the rapidly- increasing costs of incarceration in Tennessee, it will provide some immediate relief to government budgets that are spending more to address these issues at the detriment of other needs.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Candace Allen, government budgets, health care costs, inmates, jail overcrowding, Medicaid, Mike Bell, pharmacy benefits, prisoners, Senate Government Operations Committee, TennCarre, Tennessee Association of Professional Bail Agents, Terry Frank

Guest column: Mayor opposes move to house federal inmates at county jail

Posted at 9:05 am November 6, 2013
By Terry Frank 4 Comments

Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Prior to my election as mayor, the history of our county jail expansions and additions was one directly related to increasing inmate population. The year 2011 saw property taxes increased 16.2 cents and monies were allocated to alleviating the overcrowding.

Immediately, the quick construction of a new 128-bed dorm as a lower cost solution of $1.74 million alleviated most of the jail overcrowding problem, leaving only the women’s unit with crowding concerns.

Anderson County citizens were then asked that, while current problems were being addressed, why not make plans to address potential overcrowding for years to come? This new $11 million+ addition of another 212 jail beds would carry us for at least the “next 10 years,” according to then-Interim Mayor Myron Iwanski (Commission meeting 4/18/2011). Not only would the new addition allow us room for growth for the future, we were told, but it would be designed with the latest design efficiencies put in place, therefore enabling a more efficient, cost-effective manner of operating our county jail. In fact, then-Interim Mayor Iwanski said “it’s going to be a whole lot less expensive” and a “much more efficient operation.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County, county jail, dorm, federal inmates, financial stature, inmates, jail overcrowding, jailers, Myron Iwanski, prisoners, Terry Frank, women's unit

Anderson commissioners approve new jail fees for inmates, new costs covered by Time magazine

Posted at 9:32 am August 22, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County Detention Facility

The Anderson County Commission on Monday approved three new sets of fees for inmates, including charges for supplies ranging for pants and shirts to toothpaste and toilet paper. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff’s Department)

CLINTON—Anderson County inmates could soon pay for items such as pants and shirts, bras and underwear, and toothpaste and toilet paper, with costs ranging from three cents for soap to $24.65 for a coat.

The new fees were approved with no opposition by the Anderson County Commission on Monday. The money would be deducted from the inmate’s jail trust account or any other account or fund set up for the prisoner. The fees would not be added to court costs.

The supply fees were one of three new sets of inmate fees approved by commissioners on Monday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Anderson County, Clinton, Government, Lake City, Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Law Director, Anderson County mayor, Avery Johnson, co-pay, inmates, jail fees, Jay Yeager, prisoners, supply fees, Terry Frank, Time

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Classifieds

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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