Steps are being taken to get the Mineral County Detention Center back in operation after it was forced to close on Dec. 3 due to lack of staff. A jail committee was quickly put into place and several recommendations were approved by the county commissioners to get the facility back into operation.

This included maintenance and painting which is about half complete. Sheriff Mike Boone hopes to have the facility ready to open by Jan. 1, 2018. During a meeting with commissioners on Dec. 7 the jail committee submitted an update. Several people from the Missoula Detention Center came out to Mineral County to help assess the jails safety and upkeep.

Missoula Sheriff T.J. McDermott, Undersheriff Rich Maricelli, Jail Commander Jason Kowalski and Assistant Commander Barbara Roderick toured the facility and did a thorough walk-through. Overall they were pleased with the condition and said it was a nice jail. They gave the committee some recommendations for issues that they had over previous years which will be followed-up on.

Jail committee members include Lance Jasper, Gordon Henrick, Judy Stang, Mathew Coleman, and Sheriff Boone.

The group also toured the old assisted living facility next to the Mineral Community Hospital. Jasper said the Department of Corrections has a big push to do more treatment for prisoners. The facility has the possibility of becoming a facility for low-risk offenders.

Five people have applied for the jail administrators position. The position was created to help relieve the sheriff. Part of the funding for the administrator’s position will come from hiring one less deputy for the sheriff’s office. By hiring someone to oversee the detention center, it will allow the sheriff and deputies more time to do patrol.

It is recommended that the jail administrator answer to the county commissioners and be in charge of detention center personnel, payroll, budget, care and safety of the inmates and officers, grants, and maintenance issues.

“Of course they will still be part of the team and are closely interwoven with the sheriff’s department and dispatch,” said Jasper.

There was also a recommendation by Durango’s restaurant to turn the meal preparation over to the jail administrator. This would entail frozen meals and understanding the nutritional needs of the inmates. There would also be an initial cost for equipment but since the facility is being overhauled, they suggested adding that into the mix.

Currently Durango’s has a contract with the county to feed inmates but they said it doesn’t make them a profit. They are willing to turn the contract back over and do whatever is best for the county. If the contract was turned over to the county it would save them around $20,000 annually. Funds that could go back into the administrator’s salary.

The committee is hoping to have the four open detention officer positions filled within 30 days. There is also one dispatch position open. Seven applications have been received. The one open deputy position has been filled. The tentative date for interviews for the administrator will be Dec. 15. The hiring committee will probably consist of County Attorney Ellen Donohue; Commissioners Laurie Johnson and Roman Zylawy; Judge Magone; Sheriff Boone; Lance Jasper; and Clerk of District Court, Kathleen Brown.

The tentative date for interviews for jailers will be Dec. 20 with the hiring committee possibly Sheriff Boone; Dispatch Supervisor Roni Johnson; Commissioners Laurie Johnston and Roman Zylawy; Ellen Donohue; Kathleen Brown and possibly the newly hired jail administrator.

There was also discussion of combining the jail administrator’s position to oversee both dispatch and the detention center. However, no final decisions have been made, “we’re still tweaking the job description as we continue to move forward in the process,” said Donohue.

Currently there are three Mineral County inmates being house in Sanders county jail at a cost of $69 per day. Because four detention officer’s positions are vacant, the county is able to pay the bill. Missoula County also told the committee they had inmates they could ship to the Mineral County Detention Center once it is back in operation.