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Holmes County commissioners consider using inmate labor and contingency funds to repair local library roof
Summary
Sheriff John Tate proposed using inmate labor to replace a library roof at an estimated material cost under $9,000 and asked the board to allocate $4,000 from contingency; donor Angela Dockery offered $5,000 and a community group said it would cover half of the cost.
Sheriff John Tate asked the Holmes County Board of County Commissioners to approve using inmate labor and a small county contingency to repair the roof at a county library, saying crew members estimated the job would take about three days and that material costs appeared to be "probably not $9,000." Tate said commissioners would only need to provide materials and that inmate labor would perform the work under supervision.
Tate told the board he had discussed the plan with staff and that using in-county labor could save roughly $30,000 to $40,000 compared with contracting the job out; that estimate referenced a prior county estimate of about $40,000 for a new roof. "So I reckon what I'm proposing to the board tonight, they need a roof on the library. And I'm recommending to the board to put the other 4,000 there at a board contingency, and let's get the library roof on," Tate said.
At least one private donor, Angela Dockery, told the sheriff she would contribute $5,000 toward the roof during the meeting, and a representative said a local group called Dogwood Lakes would cover half the remaining cost. Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to allocate the contingency funds; the transcript records the motion and discussion but does not contain a roll-call vote in the text.
Advocates and commissioners emphasized cost savings and community benefit. Commissioners later joined the sheriff and donor for a photo when the checks and recognition were presented.
The transcript records the sheriff's estimate of materials and the donor's pledge but does not give a final contract amount or a formal vote count tied to the contingency allocation. Staff were asked to proceed with implementation details if the board desired, including purchasing materials and coordinating inmate labor under existing procedures.
