This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024.

Later in the program, WFHB News speaks with Care Not Cages, a group of concerned community members, who believe that local government should consider other alternatives to building a new jail. More in today’s feature report.

But first, your local headlines:

Monroe County Commissioners

During the August 28th meeting of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners, Health Administrator Lori Kelley gave an update regarding Futures Family Planning Clinic. Recently, the county health department announced it would close Futures after saying it had problems with staff turnover. Then, the announcement came later in the week that a new clinic would open under the Indiana Family Health Council.

Next, the Commissioners provided a rundown on their site selection for a new jail. Right now, the Commissioners have their sights set on the North Park property. Commissioner Julie Thomas said nothing is official at this point.

Commissioner Penny Githens urged the county council to pass an increase in local income tax for the purpose of constructing a new jail.

Then, the Commissioners heard an agreement with the consulting firm D-L-Z to survey the North Park property as a potential jail site. The amount for the contract would be $74,000. Commissioners’ Administrator Angela Purdie said the county would need the property surveyed before pursuing North Park as a location for the new jail.

The Commissioners approved the agreement with D-L-Z by a 3-0 vote. The Monroe County Board of Commissioners will meet again for its next regular session on August 4th.

The Monroe County Council met on August 27th. Council Member Trent Deckard said the item on the agenda with the most public interest is the tax increase for the new jail. Deckard explained to the public that the item on the agenda at this meeting was not to approve the tax increase, but rather, the decision to advertise the public hearing about the tax increase.

The council discussed advertising the proposed tax rate to raise revenue for the new jail. Legal Advisor Molly Turner King explained that if they don’t approve the advertised rate, they will have to hold another public hearing on any new rates, regardless of if they are lower or higher.

Council Member Marty Hawke said that although she will vote in favor of advertising the rate she is not in support of the rate itself.

Council Member Kate Wiltz said that she is cautious to impose more taxes on citizens who are not above the median income, and said she would feel more comfortable with a lower rate.

Wiltz said she wasn’t convinced that the jail would need to be as large as the consultant was proposing.

Council Member Jennifer Crossley said she will vote in support of the advertisement because she wants to hear from the public during public comment.

The council voted 6-1 to approve the advertisement of reducing the Special Local Income Tax Rate to 0.03% and increasing the Correctional Rate to .2%. The Monroe County Council will meet again on September 10th.

Feature Report:

The complex issues with Monroe County’s current jail, and the task of building a new jail has been looming over county officials’ heads for several years.

Right now, the county commissioners have their sights set on a property located at North Park on West Hunter Valley Road. Last Tuesday, the county council voted 6-1 to support advertising a local income tax increase by 0.2 percent for a new jail.

Earlier this year, WFHB News spoke with Care Not Cages, a group of concerned community members, about the construction of a new jail. In their view, local officials should pause the process of building a new jail and consider alternatives to expanding incarceration.

Over the next several weeks, we are revisiting our interviews with Care Not Cages and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. We now turn to Part I of our interview with Care Not Cages on the WFHB Local News.

A public hearing of the local income tax increase proposal will take place on September 16th.

Credits: