By Tom Davis
Correspondent
DAYTON, Tenn. – Rhea County commissioners were put on notice Tuesday that the county jail faces decertification if steps are not taken to relieve overcrowding.
Barry Suttles, a representative of the Tennessee Corrections Institute who conducted an inspection of the jail on Sept. 2, said the county has until Nov. 1, when he returns to reinspect the facility, to prepare a plan of action.
He said the plan should outline what the county plans to do and should include a timeline for implementing those plans.
“We’ve talked about this the past three or four years. The jail is supposed to house about 80 (inmates), had 98 and 97 for its lowest two months,” Sheriff Mike Neal said. “The rest of the year it was over 100. At the present we are not able to meet the state standards.
“We want the county to develop a plan of how to keep from overcrowding. We understand other things have to be addressed, but we’re willing to work with the county to meet the plan,” he said.
Because the county did not meet prisoner limits in the past year, Suttles said he would require the county to submit minutes of meetings in which the situation is discussed, as well as population counts, to the Tennessee Corrections Institute to demonstrate efforts.
“You will have on your desk a plan of action before Nov. 1,” Commission Chairman Ronnie Raper said.
He said he plans to appoint a committee to work on the plan at next Tuesday’s regular commission meeting.