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Committee hears jail revenue gains, operational pressures and removes jail review from agenda
Summary
The Finance Committee reviewed jail operations and financials; Jail Administrator Marty Toukonen said revenue recovery rose to about 59.9% from 32.95% in 2020, but administrative segregation and court processing changes affected capacity. The committee voted 3-0 to remove the jail facilities item from the agenda.
The North Royalton Finance Committee on Jan. 20 reviewed a biannual report on the citys jail operations and finances and then voted to remove the item from the committees agenda.
Chair Gary Petrusky introduced the discussion required under Codified Ordinance Section 220.06, Rule VII(a). Jail Administrator Marty Toukonen said the citys jail had improved revenue recovery compared with 2020, reporting it was "at 59.88%" of budgeted costs now versus 32.95% in 2020. Toukonen said the city will not generate profit from the jail but has reduced the net cost by accepting contracts and per-diem housing.
Councilor Paul Marnecheck and Toukonen discussed contract types and how administrative segregation affected capacity. Toukonen said the jail set aside cells for segregation roughly 273 days last year, which forced the facility to decline some outside housing but produced higher per-case revenue; he said that administrative segregation accounted for about $131,000 in additional revenue last year.
Vice Chair Mary Gorjanc asked whether the jail accepts female prisoners and whether female corrections officers must be on duty; Toukonen confirmed the jail accepts females and that staffing patterns are arranged "as much as they can," noting female officers are required for certain duties. Toukonen reported about 1,426 total prisoners last year, of whom roughly 412 were female.
Gorjanc asked about comparative costs of operating a full-service jail versus a 12-day facility; Toukonen said a 12-day facility has fewer requirements and is likely less expensive to operate because it cannot hold people as long and must meet fewer standards than a full-service jail. Gorjanc said her calculation indicated the city spends about $450,000 annually on the jail net of outside revenue; she presented that as her estimate for committee consideration.
After discussion, Paul Marnecheck moved and Chair Petrusky seconded a motion to remove the jail facilities review from the Finance Committee agenda; the motion passed unanimously (Yeas: Petrusky, Gorjanc, Marnecheck).
