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Sheriff’s superintendent reports stable jail population, expanded training and programs
Summary
Michelle Weatherbee, superintendent, told commissioners the county jail had 81 inmates in early 2026 and highlighted programming (HiSET, ServSafe), staff training improvements, a new body scanner and ongoing jail management system work; she said re‑entry services and Medicaid reactivation are handled by a case manager.
Michelle Weatherbee, the county superintendent who presented the corrections update, told the Board of Commissioners the jail’s current census for 2026 stands at 81 inmates: 63 awaiting trial, 13 sentenced and four housed out for behavioral reasons or at a state hospital. She said two people were on work release.
Weatherbee highlighted programming and training initiatives intended to improve post‑release outcomes and employability. She noted 9 inmates were completing HiSET, 23 completed ServSafe training (including two ServSafe manager certifications), and several completed forklift training. She credited Lieutenant Riley’s work with local employers placing people into jobs, and described a case manager, Lynn Tonkin Williams, who assists inmates with re‑entry tasks such as obtaining birth certificates, Social Security cards and reactivating Medicaid.
On corrections operations, Weatherbee said the 2025 budget was largely expended (96% of $6,196,570) and reported recent equipment and system upgrades including a body scanner and a new camera platform. She described expanded, scenario‑based training for officers that uses a taser suit and recast the county’s participation in a revised corrections academy curriculum.
The superintendent said life‑skills and substance‑use supports are offered on request rather than mandated, and noted ongoing recruitment challenges for corrections staff. Commissioners and the public commended staff efforts and stressed the county’s limited budget flexibility amid staffing pressures.
Next steps: staff will continue recruitment efforts and monitor programming outcomes; commissioners asked staff to keep the board informed of capacity changes and training results.
