Starke County Approves $100K for Pulaski Inmate Housing

With the overcrowding still a concern at the Starke County Jail, the county council this week approved an appropriation of County Adjusted Gross Income Tax funds to continue to house inmates at the Pulaski County Jail. County Attorney Martin Lucas told the council that this has been very helpful for the county, particularly with the ongoing litigation.

The money to be used for the appropriation is already in the books, ready to be used. The county had previously used the Rainy Day Fund to cover the cost, having appropriated $42,000 in the fund in July. However, that money has been used up, putting the county $11,000 in the hole.

The council would be looking at a $100,000 bill for the year, which is relatively cheap compared to other jails that the county had considered. Commissioner Kathy Norem said the deal with Pulaski County has been working out well, and the council made and approved a motion to appropriate $100,000 from the CAGIT funds to cover the cost of inmate housing in Pulaski County.