City Manager Tom Hall received a memo from Troup County Manager Mike Dobbs informing the city of an increase in the cost of housing city inmates at the county jail. The daily rate would go from $39.50 to $45.
The city gives 10 percent of its fines to the county for a construction add-on fee, amounting to about $100,000. It’s not necessary for the city to pay the fee, but “the county doesn’t have to take the prisoners,” Hall said.
Council discussed reopening the jail at the police department that was closed after a deal with the county to use its jail. Public Safety Director Lou Dekmar estimated that reopening the city jail would cost the city about $100,000, and the yearly operations would amount to about $350,000, including hiring six more people to run the jail.
After a similar increase last year, “Our jail costs were a fair bit higher than they are right now,” Hall said.
Only those arrested on municipal charges would be booked and housed in the city jail. Those facing state charges would be taken to Troup County Jail.
Hall said the cost of reopening the jail and paying the increased per diem would about break even. If the cost continues to increase, reopening the jail may be “something we need to keep our eye on.”
Also Tuesday, council heard plans to rezone the northeastern corner of Colquitt and Ragland streets for 50 senior cottages.
The request was taken to council by Gateway Construction Corp. in Florence, Ala., which has built homes for DASH for LaGrange Inc. The 10-acre area is zoned R-5, A-1200, and the request is for high-density residential zoning, or HDR-LU.
The zoning will allow the developer to build the cottages at 900 square feet or greater rather than a minimum 1,200 square feet.
“The property can start off at a minimum 900 square feet and the larger size depending on the lot size,” Hall said. “It will be pretty much like the homes we have over on Garfield Street,” a Habitat for Humanity development.
Gateway Construction has a deadline of July 27 and asked that council call for a public hearing alongside the first reading June 22, allowing it to hold a second reading at council’s July 13 meeting.
A site plan was requested for the Board of Planning and Zoning, as well as council.
“We like to see what they’re development is going to look like,” Lukken said. “We’ve not yet been disappointed with anything they’ve done.”
In other matters Tuesday, council:
— Approved a resolution declaring 70 Avaya telephones as surplus. The phones were refurbished in 2000 and will be sold through the Internet.
— Approved a contract with the state Department of Transportation for asphalt resurfacing work on Cameron Mill Road.
— Heard the first reading of an ordinance levying an ad valorem tax through local-option sales tax funds that bring the city’s property taxes to zero. Once again, “There will not be a property tax for city residents,” Hall said. This is an annual ordinance required by the local-option sales tax referendum.
Trey Wood can be reached at twood @ lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228.
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