Sheriff outlines $18.8 million first‑year cost and 169‑position staffing plan to bring Lecanto jail under local control

The Citrus County Sheriff told commissioners that bringing the Lecanto detention facility back under local control would require a substantial upfront investment but could yield longer‑term operational and programmatic benefits.

In a time‑certain presentation the sheriff outlined a staffing model of 169 positions — 136 new hires including 83 sworn corrections officers, 30 civilian staff and 23 medical staff — and estimated recurring costs of about $18.8 million for jail operations and medical services in the first year. He said startup and transition expenditures — replacements for keys and high‑ticket equipment, transport vehicles, radio interoperability and a new jail management system — add roughly $2.16 million to the first‑year price tag.

"This is a big task," the sheriff said. "Based on our proposed salary plan ... we're estimating right now about $18,800,000 as new budget dollars to run the detention center." He told the board the model assumes an 80% salary share, 18% operating and 2% inmate welfare fund contribution.

Why it matters: Commissioners pushed for exact cost breakdowns and pressed staff on which equipment belongs to the county versus the contractor and on the proprietary jail management system CoreCivic uses. The sheriff recommended a 150–180 day transition window, aligned to an October 1 start to match fiscal years, and said staff would pursue state grant opportunities that could offset some first‑year purchases.

The sheriff stressed staffing and medical services as central choices. "Medical services is a foreign object — I have a lot of questions about medical," he said, noting a vendor estimate put the cost difference between county‑run medical and contracted medical at about $1,000,000. Major Sean Klusnick of Hernando County summarized his office’s experience operating a county jail and running an inmate welfare fund that supports programming and capital projects; he cautioned that recent FCC rules ending local phone‑revenue collections removed a $450,000 annual revenue source for some counties.

Commissioners’ response and follow up: Several commissioners voiced support for returning the jail to local control but said the first year’s net cost and competing capital needs — roads, generators and other projects in the capital improvement plan — required caution. Commissioner Jeff Kennard asked whether CoreCivic had signaled which equipment it would remove; the sheriff said CoreCivic executives indicated they did not intend to strip the facility but that the board should clearly establish ownership before transition. Commissioner Rebecca Bays pressed the sheriff to analyze programming and recidivism reductions that county‑run operations could support.

Formal action: The presentation was informational; no vote to change the CoreCivic contract occurred at this meeting. Commissioners asked the sheriff and county staff to provide follow‑up documentation on asset ownership, a more detailed budget model, training timelines and possible grant applications prior to any binding decision.

What to watch for next: The board requested follow‑up reports and breakdowns of startup vs. recurring costs, legal/insurance implications, and any state grant applications that could be used to offset equipment purchases.