Lawrence County Auditor Jason Stephens told the county commission last week that he had “some good news” on the subject of prisoner medical bills.

Stephens said that, as a result of discussing the issue with Commissioner Colton Copley when he was sworn in last year, his staff had reviewed billing for the county.

“They’re unpredictable, unfunded and can be unwieldy,” he said of the expenses. “Regardless of planning, you never know and you can’t buy insurance for it.”

Stephens said that his staff, working with the sheriff’s office and the commission, were able to determine a good chunk of the expense was for items that should have been billed under the Medicaid rate or were bills for individuals not in custody.

He said the outstanding bill, as of November 2017, was for $512,000.

“That’s a lot of money,” Stephens said.

He said, as a result of the review, they were able to save the county $450,000 for the general fund.

“We want to be proactive and look for ways to save money or do more homework on these things,” he said.

Stephens advised that did not mean the county now had $450,000 to spend, but, rather, the bill had been made current.

“I’m really happy about this,” Commission president Freddie Hayes Jr. said. “This has kind of hung over our heads forever.”

Both Stephens and Copley said the move showed the results that can be achieved when officials work together.

“I’m very appreciative of everyone,” Stephens said. “This is a template to manage things as we go forward.

Copley, who works as an emergency room physician, said he drew on his expertise in raising the issue.

In other business, the commission:

• Heard from Paul Myers, who presented the request from residents along county roads 32 and 104 and township roads 1347 and 1348 for a 35 mile per hour speed limit signs.

“Many people are surprised to find out that unposted roads in the county are 55 miles per hour,” he said.
Myers said he often walks along the roads and has had a few close calls and has almost been hit.

“We’ve had enough near misses,” he said. He said 80 percent of those he petitioned favored the signs.
He said, while they would ideally like the signs now, he understood that a speed study would need to be done.
Hayes said he would forward the matter to the county engineer’s office for review.

• Voted to establish a revolving loan fund for the county land bank.

• Voted to approve resurfacing contract change order for county roads 15 and 18.

• Commissioner DeAnna Holliday was absent from the meeting.