Supervisors told county jail population is spiking

By Brooks Taylor, Mt. Pleasant News

Henry County Sheriff Rich McNamee told the Henry County supervisors Thursday that the daily census at the county jail has averaged in the 30s for most of April and May, reaching a high of 40 inmates during a day in April.

McNamee?s report was part of the department head meeting during the supervisors? regular meeting.

The sheriff said that law enforcement is still dealing with a considerable amount of home, residential and vehicle burglaries. ?They are taking mainly firearms and electronics,? he said. ?In one nighttime burglary, the couple was at home and items were taken from their kitchen table.?

McNamee reiterated his plea to home and vehicle owners to keep their doors locked to prevent theft.

Recently, McNamee and Henry County Emergency Management Director Walt Jackson hosted an ?operation prom? at WACO School in Wayland, prior to WACO?s prom. The event was a mock vehicle accident where student participants were injured and one was killed. A Medforce helicopter was on hand, Jackson said.

?Everybody did an excellent job,? Jackson stated.

Tim Olson of Olson-Powell Funeral Home, in Mt. Pleasant, brought a casket for the ?victim? with the victim?s picture placed on top of the casket. ?It was pretty gripping,? said McNamee.

Continuing, McNamee said county deputy Jesse Bell has been promoted to investigator in the department. The county?s K9 officer, Uno, also was put to work last week, helping in two searches.

Jackson said Mt. Pleasant will be hosting a training class on what religious groups can do (to help) in the event of a disaster. ?They are holding these classes nationwide,? he said, ?and there will be quite a few people coming in (to the class).? A final date has not been set for the class.

County Treasurer Ana Lair said her office mailed out tax notices on May 1, and May 19 is the deadline for paying property taxes to escape having the property put on the tax sale this summer.

Federal money is being cut to the Henry County Department of Veteran Affairs Office, Roger Pittsenbarger, director, said. Pittsenbarger said in the past the office has received $10,000 annually in federal money to finance office activities. The amount has been cut to $9,479 for the next fiscal year and $4,817 for fiscal 2019.

Jake Hotchkiss, county engineer, said secondary-roads workers began pulling shoulders on White Oak this week and will be finished next week.

County Coordinator of Disability Services/General Assistance Director Sarah Berndt has been reviewing a HIPPA policy draft for all county departments. She also said she is working on a contract for services, especially drop-in services, and a memorandum of understanding among participating counties on the jail intervention program.

Remaining agenda items had the supervisors approving the second reading of two wastewater ordinances concerning the former City of Mt. Union. One ordinance is for a semi-annual special assessment on county property tax rolls and the other is for a special assessment of late sewer fees.

Supervisors will meet again in regular session Tuesday, May 9, at 9 a.m., in the courthouse.