More bad news. It now appears that by the end of the year, the county will pay out over a million dollars to other counties that are housing our prisoners.

This figure does not include the salary of the deputies making the trips or gasoline for the vehicles and their wear and tear.

The good news is that the Franklin Furnace facility is still available and any money spent to maintain and staff would remain in the immediate area.

It is impossible to imagine a mindset where the commissioners can spend over $100,000 on the fairgrounds, which the county does not own, and ignore the logical decision to utilize the Franklin Furnace facility. If the current sitting commissioners do not make the decision to move, I certainly will not vote to reelect anyone not supporting an immediate move, nor will I vote for any candidate not making a commitment to the Franklin Furnace facility.

Given the state of the local economy, I cannot believe the electorate would support a tax to build a jail when utilization of the Franklin Furnace facility continues to be ignored.

 

John Wolfe
Ironton