Troup County would get a windfall from a proposed contract with the state Department of Corrections to fill vacant beds at the county’s work release center.

The center on Hamilton Road was built for 60 inmates, but averaged 35 during the past year. It has expenses of $443,000 and revenues of $310,000, a difference of $133,000 that the county has to make up.

Dexter Wells, warden at the county Correctional Institute, thought up the idea of leasing the vacant beds for $20 per day to the state’s transitional center program, which needs the space. The transitional centers, including one in LaGrange, have work release programs for prisoners who are about to finish serving their sentences.

Wells said no additional staff would be needed for the extra inmates and the county would no longer have to subsidize the work release center.

“The state is short of beds in transitional centers,” he said. “We asked them to look at filling our empty beds at the work release center so it could be self-supporting and there would be no cost to the county. I think it would be a win for the Department of Corrections and a win for Troup County.”

The agreement would be contingent on the county not adding more staff and county residents would have first priority for the beds, Wells said.

“We need to be able to amend the contract on a month-to-month basis to allow beds for local people first,” he said.

He said state prison officials have toured the facility and looked and staffing, and didn’t see any additional security needs.

“If it can be worked out, they want Troup County to serve as a model for this type of program,” Wells said. “… I think this would be a good partnership if we can fine-tune the details.”

Wells said it will be at least a month before the state makes a decision.

County Manager Mike Dobbs said Wells consistently comes up with revenue-producing ideas.

“Thank you for your initiative,” Commission Chairman Ricky Wolfe told the warden.

Joel Martin can be reached at jmartin@lagrangenews.com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 235.