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Jail oven stays on for 10 years It may not sound like a big deal that a new stove was recently purchased for the Washington County Jail, but it may drastically change what the county has been paying for gas service, seeing as the old one was not turned off for 10 years. Sheriff Richard Stringer reported to the Washington County Commission, Monday, Feb. 25, that he bought the new gas stove with some of the department's work release money. He said he stopped by the jail one Saturday and discovered one of the trustees cooking hamburgers, which is absolutely forbidden by jail regulations. The inmate told him that the stove's oven stays at 500 degrees all day every day. When Stringer asked the person in charge of food service why the stove was left on, she reported that it has been on for 10 years. She explained, that if it is turned off, it could not be turned back on. "I don't know exactly what the savings will be to the county in the long run," said Stringer, Tuesday. "I do know a lot of gas was being used and in the summer we were fighting the heat from the oven, which required the air conditioning system to work harder. This is just one example of the waste we have succeeded in cutting from our budget during our first year in office." Stringer added that a technician from the gas company is expected to install the new stove within the next couple of weeks. Jail overcrowding remains a problem Stringer keeps reminding the commission of the over-crowded conditions of his 59-bed jail which is presently housing 79 inmates and has had more than 80. Judge Charles Singleton stated that as soon as the health department moves out of its present building, some of the offices within the courthouse basement will be moved to that building and the sheriff will be given some room in the basement for less violent offenders. Other business: •Chief Deputy Terry Beasley reported that the sheriff's department had received $2,450 from the sale of a used vehicle and has a drug-confiscated car to place on gov.deals soon to sell. •Sheriff Stringer reported that he had received a grant to be used for a server for the sheriff's department which will allow deputies and state troopers to efile tickets and make it no longer necessary for a trooper or deputy to physically come to the sheriff's office to file hard copies. •The sheriff said he has four longtime employees retiring soon and invited the commission to a retirement party for them on March 14.
(SA Editor Evan Carden contributed to this story.)
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