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By Whit Jones
Courier Staff In a week or so, the Saline County Detention Center is expected to have the services of a physician for the first time since the facility opened 18 months ago in south Benton.
The Quorum Court on Tuesday night adopted an ordinance that permits the county to contract with a jail medical director at a cost of $36,000 annually.
Justice of the Peace Sharon Riggan, R-Benton, said this morning that she has talked to several local physicians about the position. She said she expects to know later today who will serve as the jail’s medical director.
Riggan, who last year chaired the Jail Committee, declined to name any physicians until an agreement has been reached.
There was debate among JPs about whether to table discussion of funding for a medical director until a new sheriff takes office in January 2009. Sheriff Phil Mask is not seeking re-election and JPs said the new sheriff may have specific thoughts about the medical director’s position.
JP Doug Curtis, R-Benton, made a motion to table discussion of a medical director until Mask and Lt. Hugh Gentry, jail administrator, could discuss the matter with the Quorum Court. Both were asked to be at Tuesday night’s meeting but neither attended.
“This is an important decision tonight and I don’t see the sheriff or Lt. Gentry here,” JP Tom Lish, R-Hot Springs Village, said. “I can’t trust them to have input on this issue.”
Seven of the 13 JPs voted against tabling the issue.
“It will be nine months before we get a new sheriff,” Riggan said. “Jail standards require that we contract with the services of a physician.”
The jail nurse will receive orders from the medical director, usually by phone, County Judge Lanny Fite explained. “Of course, there will be times when an inmate will need to be seen by the doctor,” he added.
“We have a manual that outlines medical protocol at the jail,” Riggan said, “but there are things the nurse cannot do without approval from a physician.”
JPs approved funding for a medical director by a 10-3 vote. Lish, Buster Warrick, R-Benton, and Mark Kizer, R-Bryant, voted against the proposal.
Several JPs said they believe the costs for medical services at the jail are spiraling out of control.
“The costs ... just keep getting higher,” Lish said. “I’m not willing to spend any more money on the jail until we hire a professional jail administrator.”
Several JPs have said that they want the county to contract the services of a firm that specializes in jail administration. Some JPs have said publicly that they don’t believe Gentry is fully qualified to serve as detention center administrator.
“Medical costs just keep growing [at the jail] and it’s not fair to the taxpayers,” Warrick said. “The more medical people we get involved in the jail, the more the costs will boomerang on us.”
Warrick, like Lish, said he prefers to enlist the services of a medical director after the election of a new sheriff. “Right now, if we do this, we’re just shooting in the dark,” he said.
JP Chuck Daniels, D-Bryant, said, “I want to do what we need to do, but I don’t want to see us put [a medical director] in there who is just trying to make a profit.”
JP David Allinson, R-Bauxite, said, “I want us to do what is right and legal and is best for the county.”
Toni James is the detention center nurse. She was hired Feb. 19 and is paid $25 per hour.
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