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Corrections director outlines $1.3M jail medical increase, cuts to other line items and new inmate tracking wristbands
Summary
The director of corrections presented a departmental budget showing about a $1.3 million increase driven largely by jail medical costs, described decreases in food and pharmaceutical lines, new recruiting software, revenue increases from city contracts and inmate phone fees, and plans to implement inmate wristbands and biometric cell monitoring in
Cowlitz County Director of Corrections (name not fully specified in the transcript) presented the department’s proposed budget changes and operational updates to the Board of County Commissioners, saying the overall jail budget shows about a $1,300,000 increase largely driven by higher inmate medical costs.
The director said the department reduced several line items where possible, including a $50,000 decrease in the food budget and a $50,000 decrease in pharmaceuticals, plus smaller reductions in tools and professional services. "I included anything that was 5,000 or over," the director said while describing line‑item changes. At the same time, jail medical expenses rose significantly and account for the bulk of the overall increase.
Operational changes and revenue: The department added condominium association dues of roughly $3,200 a month to its budget after vacating…
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