(A) Convicted inmate processing fee.
(1) A need exists to establish a chargeable fee by the County Sheriff’s Department for the processing of convicted inmates in and out of the County Jail.
(2) The County Sheriff’s Department shall hereby and hereafter charge a fee of $50 as an inmate processing fee for each time a convicted person has been booked into the County Jail.
(3) The convicted inmate processing fee shall not apply and/or may be waived by the County Sheriff in the following instances:
(a) Where the inmate is indigent (determination by any of the courts that an inmate is indigent and/or has been appointed a public defender is prima facie indication that the inmate is indigent);
(b) Where the inmate is being held for another agency for a per diem payment; or
(c) Where the inmate is being held for safekeeping for another agency.
(B) Fee collection. The processing fee shall be added to the convicted inmate’s fines and court costs as an additional cost and shall be collected as the fine and court costs are collected.
(C) Fund established. The Board of Commissioners does determine that a need exists for the creation of an Inmate Processing Fund whereby all funds received by the County Sheriff’s Department for the convicted inmate processing fee shall be deposited in said Fund. The Fund created shall be entitled the Convicted Inmate Processing Fee Fund and shall be subject to appropriation through the County Council.
(D) Use of funds.
(1) The funds received and deposited in the Convicted Inmate Processing Fee Fund can be used only for the specific purposes set forth herein. The funds received and deposited in the Convicted Inmate Processing Fee Fund will be expended at the discretion of the County Sheriff for any departmental purpose reasonably related to the processing of inmates in and out of the County Jail and for the benefit of inmates who are processed in and out of the County Jail.
(2) The funds received and deposited in the Convicted Inmate Processing Fee Fund may be utilized for, but not limited to, the following-identified purposes:
(a) Inmate education and counseling; or
(b) Equipment, education and training for the County Jail staff and jailers.
(E) Termination of funds or transfer of funds. The Convicted Inmate Processing Fee Fund shall remain in existence and remain perpetual in its terms until amended or terminated by a subsequent ordinance enacted by the Board of Commissioners, and if and when a subsequent ordinance is passed to terminate the life of the Convicted Inmate Processing Fee Fund, the Fund balance existing, and if not otherwise provided for by the ordinance, if any at that time, it shall be transferred to the County General Fund.
(Ord. 2007-06, passed 6-2-2007; Ord. 2019-06, passed 2-18-2019)