Detention center making money

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Several newfull-time positions, $3 million in revenue from leased beds in the Cibola County Detention Center, and raises to all employees are all included in this year's county budget.

County Manager David Ulibarri said because the detention center has been leasing inmate beds to other counties in New Mexico, $3 million in revenue was received, requiring only about $300,000 from the county's budget for operational expenses of the detention center for this next year.

The detention center's capacity is 230 beds, he said. The county averages about 100 a day from local law enforcement agencies, such as Grants and Milan police departments, sheriff's department, and New Mexico State Police.

The remainder of the beds are available for lease, but some are always held in reserve for unanticipated arrests that could jam the detention center.

Because of the revenue generated from the lease of inmate beds, Ulibarri said the county can now divert that $3 million to paying for additional staff and giving raises to employees.

This year's overall budget for the county is $18,395,843, an 11 percent increase from last year. The county's budget year is from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008. The county board of commissioners approved the budget at a special meeting late Monday.

Several new positions were added to the detention center, including three corrections officers and support staff, Ulibarri said.

One new sheriff's deputy was also added, he said, along with one more heavy equipment operator for the Public Works Department.

"We are slowly starting to fill some of the positions that we stopped filling beginning in 2002," he said, when the county was in a financial bind with less revenue and increasing costs.

Since then, 15 positions were not filled, all by attrition. The county just did not have the revenue to replace employees who left the county or retired, he said.

There are currently 114 county employees, including 38 at the detention center, he said.

The county's payroll is about $1.5 million per year.

Ulibarri said the commission directed him to provide a raise for employees.

Employees who earn less than $25,000 per year will receive a 7 percent raise. Those making more than $25,000 per year will receive 5 percent.

For example, an employee making $22,500 a year while working for the county will see a raise of $1,575 per year, which is slightly more than $131 per month and slightly more than $37 per week.

On the other hand, an employee making $27,500 while working for the county will see an increase of $1,375 per year, which is slightly more than $114 per month and slightly more than $28 per week.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.