Judge Cunningham urges county to commit beds for proposed residential recovery campus to cut jail costs
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Summary
Judge Cunningham asked Charlotte County to commit up to five beds to a proposed 100‑bed residential recovery campus in Halifax County, saying county opioid funds could help and lenders need commitments to finance the project. He presented cost comparisons and claimed long‑term savings and reduced recidivism.
Judge Cunningham told the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors that a proposed residential recovery campus in Halifax County would offer a 100‑bed residential recovery center, workforce training and 32 “step‑up” apartments and that county commitments are needed to secure financing.
Cunningham said the campus would sit on about 50 acres and include a vocational training center, a future dental clinic and childcare, and that operators would not bill counties until beds were actually used. “We will never sue you for anything,” he said, describing an offer to provide beds without upfront county billing while lenders require demonstrated operational commitments.
County staff and Cunningham discussed funding pathways, including using opioid settlement dollars. Cunningham presented per‑day cost comparisons he said support the project’s economics: Charlotte County’s jail cost cited as $132.75 per day versus $57 per bed per day at the residential recovery center, and he provided an annual savings figure of $138,255 (as presented) for the county under an illustrative five‑bed commitment. He also cited outcome figures from other programs presented during his talk—a claimed 74% decrease in illegal drug use, a 46% decrease in arrests, a 68% decrease in incarceration and an asserted return on investment of $8.31 saved per $1 spent.
Board members asked about timing and the county budget calendar; staff indicated the county’s budget process is underway and a March commitment window would align with budget planning. Cunningham said lenders require advance bed commitments to complete financing but reiterated that the county would not be billed for unused beds.
The presentation concluded with the board asking staff to consider whether opioid funding could cover some beds and with Cunningham accepting the March timeframe for a county decision. The board took no formal funding action at this meeting; Cunningham’s request will move forward for further consideration during the budget process.