Back in October, 2015, the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority filed a lawsuit against the Webster County Commission to collect nearly $1.31 million (now $1.5 million) the County owes on its regional jail bill.
The Jail Authority intercepted about $300,000.00 in state tax revenues that were to be paid to the County, and the Authority is still holding those funds, causing the County to be in even more debt and near bankruptcy.
The lawsuit was supposed to be argued before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals on February 24, 2016, but just days before the argument the case was continued indefinitely. It is believed that both sides agreed to further settlement negotiations, but no agreements have been reached at this point and the County still owes the Jail Authority over $1.5 million.
In the lawsuit, the Jail Authority states that they have tried to work with the County to come up with an acceptable payment plan but that "the Authority's actions were to no avail." "[Webster County] has made no progress to meaningfully work to resolve this mounting debt," the lawsuit contends. The lawsuit asks that Webster County be forced to pay its debt and that the State Tax Commissioner be ordered to release the $300,000.00 in intercepted tax revenues to the Jail Authority.
In the response filed by Prosecuting Attorney Dwayne Vandevender, the County contends that its jail bill grew so high because of a disproportionate increase per capita in crimes, particularly meth labs, in the County. The County's meth lab crime rate was number one in the State during the time the jail bill skyrocketed. In addition, the County contends that its coal severance revenues, which accounted for as much as $442,000.00 per year, have been cut in half (and now are non-existent as the last coal mine has shut down in the County). The County also noted in its response that it has cut its budget to the bare necessities by reducing expenditures by over $266,000.00, and by requiring employees to now pay part of their health insurance premiums, by placing a hiring freeze into effect, and by further reducing the budget an additional $28,000.00 per year. The response points out that to reduce costs, County Commissioner Jerry Hamrick now mows the Courthouse lawn and the Courthouse employees, including its Deputy Sheriffs, are some of the lowest paid in the State. Finally, the response notes that the Jail Authority has a $58 million surplus and spends money for inmates to enjoy things like video conferencing and email.
While the lawsuit remains pending, Webster County's jail bill does nothing but increase.
 |
| Map of Regional Jails in West Virginia. |
