County buys inmate body scanner, pay

By ohtadmin | on May 24, 2023

Sanilac County Commissioners last week approved the purchase of body scanning equipment for the jail, and the pay-off a 10-year-old bond debt for the Medical Care Facility.

The scanner will cost approximately $130,000, with funding coming from the inmate commissary fund and a one-third reimbursement, in the amount of $43,333, from the county's risk management carrier.

The scanner will be used to prevent drugs and other contraband from being brought into the jail.

The board also approved using a portion of the county's American Rescue Plan funds to pay-off the Medical Care Facility ‘s 2013 bond that has a balance of $1.8 million.

The Medical Care will reimburse the county for the ARPA money without being charged interest, allowing it to put the savings into physical improvements to the facility.

Commission Chairman Jon Block explained the Medical Care will reimburse the county $120,000 a year, with the first payment due in December 2024. The approximate 18-month period before the first payment is made is designed to allow the facility to begin addressing repairs and other needed improvements.

The Medical Care originally requested a five-year pause before starting repayment, but the request was turned down by the county ARPA Committee.

Meanwhile, the county also recently approved using ARPA funds to pay for the new boiler system in the courthouse at a cost of $180,903. The work will be done by Lakeshore Improvements, which will remove the old system and install a new heating unit.