Wilson County commissioners approve surplus disposal and budget moves as sheriff warns inmate medical and transport costs rising

Wilson County commissioners approved declaring outdated computer equipment and a used command-post vehicle surplus and approved year-end budget moves after Sheriff BJ Stafford described rising inmate medical and transport costs and staffing shortages.

Sheriff BJ Stafford told commissioners the county is disposing of “computer equipment” that has been wiped and a command-post vehicle bought used that is “in bad shape,” and recommended selling the items through government channels. “All our computer equipment's been done. There's nothing else on it,” Stafford said as he explained the surplus request, which commissioners approved by voice vote.

The sheriff warned that inmate medical transports and hospital stays are driving higher costs and asked the commission to reallocate funds. “It's been people who've been picked up on warrants all over the state… it's just costing more,” Stafford said when describing an increase in out-of-county transports. He said the jail has logged…