Jackson County Commission appoints safety coordinator, renews jail healthcare contract and approves family cemetery

The Jackson County Commission on Dec. 23, 2024, appointed Josh Whitcomb as the county’s safety coordinator, approved a cooperative jail-housing agreement with the town of New Hope, renewed its inmate medical services contract with Southern Health Partners and approved the location of the Bryant Family Cemetery in Stevenson, the commission said during its meeting.

The action to designate Whitcomb as safety coordinator was taken to meet requirements of the county’s third-party insurer, County Risk Services, which ties a substantial premium discount to having a designated safety coordinator and documented compliance with the SIDP guidelines. The commission’s resolution names Josh Whitcomb as county director of emergency management and appoints him county safety coordinator effective Dec. 30, 2024.

Why it matters: the safety coordinator role centralizes responsibility for loss-prevention work and compliance that affect county insurance incentives and employee/public safety oversight.

The commission approved a cooperative agreement allowing the town of New Hope to house its inmates in the Jackson County Jail. The agreement, presented as a municipal contract between Jackson County and New…