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Commissioner Worley - Sheriff’s Office - To Appropriate Funding for Inmate Off-Site Medical Expenses (Fund Balance Appropriation - $345,000 Estimate)
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STAFF CONTACT
Alan Cloninger - Sheriff - 704-869-6860
BUDGET IMPACT
budget
Appropriate from Fund Balance $345,000 Estimate.
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BUDGET ORDINANCE IMPACT
Appropriate from Fund Balance.
BACKGROUND
The Gaston County Jail has experienced an exponential increase with inmate off-site medical costs during fiscal year 2021. Off-site medical expenses were trending as expected ($102,000) until November. There were two inmates that were extremely ill and required hospital stays. The stays ranged from 15-21 days and one inmate required two surgeries. The annual off-site budget is $175,000. The two hospital stays alone totaled over $208,000. Therefore, the off-site budget is currently over $135,000 with seven months remaining for billing.
While there is no way to know for certain the type and quantity of injuries that will occur or illness an inmate may have, it is projected the Sheriff’s Office will need approximately $345,000 for off-site medical costs. This is an estimate to cover the current shortfall and remaining expenses through year-end.
POLICY IMPACT
N/A
ATTACHMENTS
Budget Change Request (BCR)