County may lose Fayette Co. inmates
WAYNESBURG – For the last several years, Greene County jail benefitted financially from prison overcrowding in Fayette County.
The lockup housed those inmates and oftentimes averaged $50,000 to $60,000 a month, for housing them.
Greene County Jail Warden Harry Gillispie said Wednesday the county jail still is housing Fayette inmates, 14 at last count, but the numbers seem to be going down. “They are doing something over there, but I don’t know what,” Gillispie said.
Nonetheless, Greene County is owed $50,800 for inmate housing in December, but the continued flow of out-of-county inmates and the payments for housing them may be on the decline.
The prison board also reorganized. County Commissioner Blair Zimmerman was re-elected chairman; Commissioner Chuck Morris was re-elected vice chairman; and Controller Dave Balint was elected secretary.
The prison board will continue to meet the third Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. in the public meeting room of the county office building following the commissioners’ agenda meeting. Meetings in March, June, September and December will be held at noon at Greene County jail.