Sunday, January 27, 2002
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Sunday, January 27, 2002 |
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Cities study possible jail deal to resolve funding issue By JOHN MUNFORD
It appears as if officials from Fayette County, Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Tyrone are close to an agreement on how the county will provide jail services for the municipalities. The Peachtree City Council discussed a draft of a proposed jail agreement at its special called meeting Wednesday night. Council tabled the matter until its regular meeting Feb. 7 so officials from Fayetteville and Tyrone could have their input on the document. Almost all of Wednesday's discussion took place in executive session since council reasoned the agreement was part of litigation the city was involved in. Peachtree City, along with Fayetteville and Tyrone, sued the county last year, alleging that city residents pay more in county taxes than they receive back in services. The case is currently in the mediation as all parties try to negotiate an equitable settlement. The Citizen has filed a lawsuit asking that the mediation be halted until it can be determined whether the mediation hearings should be open to the public. Visiting Superior Court Judge Stephen Boswell, who is presiding over the case, has ruled that the mediation should be closed to the public and ordered all parties involved not to disclose any details from the negotiations. The agreement spells out how much the county can charge each municipality for holding its prisoners. The charges are calculated based on each day an inmate spends in the Fayette County Jail, with the initial rate set at $43.70. However, the agreement allows for a certain number of inmates for each city to be charged at a reduced rate of $30 per inmate based on the municipality's average daily inmate population for the previous fiscal year. Mayor Steve Brown told The Citizen Tuesday that he had been negotiating with County Commission Chairman Greg Dunn on the matter.
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