WALDRON / SCOTT COUNTY - Seven non-violent offenders sentenced to prison were released on bond in Scott County last week because the jail there was shutdown.
Now, they're waiting for a bed to open in the state correctional system. That's why Sheriff Cody Carpenter is making his plea to the voters.
Voters have twice said no to a new tax that would fund the day to day operations for the new Scott County Jail that's now sat empty for a very long time, but Sheriff Carpenter says he's cautiously optimistic about the results from Tuesday's election."
Tthose we talked to Monday said they're for the penny tax.
"I think we need to vote it in and get it open."
And that's exactly how she cast her vote during early voting. But several said they don't plan to vote or aren't registered because they recently moved like Mary Stanley who says they had a similar situation in Texarkana, Texas.
"It was a burden on the tax payers for one thing the cost to house a prisoner is about 40 to 50 dollars per day and that comes out of the tax payers money whenever they go to pay their taxes so if they have it there in the county and they have their own jail and it's usually less cost 25 to 28 dollars and this is what the sheriff from Bowie County told me in texas."
Sheriff Carpenter says most local counties in arkansas charge about 38 dollars a day per inmate. The old jail was condemned by the state a month ago and had a meager operating budget of just $200,000. His department has had to transport inmates to three different counties Yell, Sebastian, and as far north as Carroll County.
"Not only has it taken away a depeuty out of the county to go and transport other inmates or inmates to other facilities it also incurrs a lot of tranportation time and cost your fuel cost and plus that deputy 's pay when he could be working right here."
The new detention center needs 700 grand to fully function, but the sheriff thinks that's a small price to pay for the money the county will save.
Polls will open at 730 am and close at 730 pm. The votes will be counted and you can expect results late Tuesday night. The new jail can house up to 76 inmates--male and female. Other counties such as Polk have expressed interest in housing inmates there as well, meaning the county would make money. That plus help from the state could help open the jail within weeks until the new tax takes off.
Now, they're waiting for a bed to open in the state correctional system. That's why Sheriff Cody Carpenter is making his plea to the voters.
Voters have twice said no to a new tax that would fund the day to day operations for the new Scott County Jail that's now sat empty for a very long time, but Sheriff Carpenter says he's cautiously optimistic about the results from Tuesday's election."
Tthose we talked to Monday said they're for the penny tax.
"I think we need to vote it in and get it open."
And that's exactly how she cast her vote during early voting. But several said they don't plan to vote or aren't registered because they recently moved like Mary Stanley who says they had a similar situation in Texarkana, Texas.
"It was a burden on the tax payers for one thing the cost to house a prisoner is about 40 to 50 dollars per day and that comes out of the tax payers money whenever they go to pay their taxes so if they have it there in the county and they have their own jail and it's usually less cost 25 to 28 dollars and this is what the sheriff from Bowie County told me in texas."
Sheriff Carpenter says most local counties in arkansas charge about 38 dollars a day per inmate. The old jail was condemned by the state a month ago and had a meager operating budget of just $200,000. His department has had to transport inmates to three different counties Yell, Sebastian, and as far north as Carroll County.
"Not only has it taken away a depeuty out of the county to go and transport other inmates or inmates to other facilities it also incurrs a lot of tranportation time and cost your fuel cost and plus that deputy 's pay when he could be working right here."
The new detention center needs 700 grand to fully function, but the sheriff thinks that's a small price to pay for the money the county will save.
Polls will open at 730 am and close at 730 pm. The votes will be counted and you can expect results late Tuesday night. The new jail can house up to 76 inmates--male and female. Other counties such as Polk have expressed interest in housing inmates there as well, meaning the county would make money. That plus help from the state could help open the jail within weeks until the new tax takes off.
