Utah and Salt Lake counties are finally reaching an agreement on housing jail inmates, even though both sides know the contract will probably never be consummated.
"(Salt Lake County commissioners) want the contract in place, but they don't have any money," said Utah County Commission Chairman David Gardner.Utah County commissioners approved the interlocal cooperation agreement Tuesday. The agreement allows Salt Lake County to house as many as 100 inmates in Utah County's new Security Center in Spanish Fork, once it opens in July.
The contract says Salt Lake County will pay $53.60 per inmate per day. The agreement will be in effect from Aug. 1, 1997, until Dec. 31, 2000.
However, Salt Lake County commissioners voted last month to use $2 million toward adding a fourth section to their new jail, which is under construction, instead of spending the money to send inmates to Utah County.
"What they've indicated is that in this year's budget, there aren't funds, but maybe there will be next year," said Utah County Commissioner Jerry Grover. "We're not committing to anything with this contract.
"What I understand we're saying is, `If we have space available and Salt Lake County has money and desires to (send inmates), they can,' " Grover said.
Both the Salt Lake County Jail and the current Utah County Jail in Provo are operating under federal consent decrees that place caps on the number of inmates they can house. The decrees force both counties to release prisoners early.
Salt Lake County's jail overcrowding sparked the idea last year to send inmates to Utah County's new Security Center, which is built to hold more than 500 inmates, since it wouldn't be full upon opening. The situation appeared a good solution for both counties, since Utah County needed additional funds to hire staff at the new jail.
However, negotiations became bogged down, and ultimately, officials from both counties arrived at the conclusion the deal wouldn't happen - at least not this year.
"We didn't count on any money," Gardner said. But, he said, putting the contract in place is a safety valve, just in case it is needed.
The agreement also includes a reciprocal provision, which would allow Utah County to house its inmates in the Salt Lake County Jail, if both counties agreed to it.
If Salt Lake County ever chooses to send inmates south, it will turn over all responsibility of managing the inmates to Utah County. However, Salt Lake County maintains responsibility for transporting inmates to and from Spanish Fork or Provo if inmates are released or post bond.
Utah County Sheriff David Bateman has authority to refuse to house any Salt Lake County inmates for any reason, the contract says.
Both counties also agree to work toward implementing a "video arraignment" system, in which inmates held at the Security Center in Spanish Fork will participate in 4th District Court proceedings via videoconferencing instead of traveling to Provo.
The video hearings are subject to approval by 4th District Court judges and won't start at least until the county and private corporations finish installing a fiber-optic cable between Provo and Spanish Fork.