BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

PAINTSVILLE — Big Sandy Regional Detention Center will replace its flat booking fee with a daily charge starting July 1. Officials say the move will boost revenue as the jail faces a mounting budget deficit and declining inmate population.

The board voted Thursday to adopt the new model along with its fiscal year 2026 budget.

Under the new fee model, instead of paying a $130 flat fee, new inmates will pay a $25 booking fee plus $5 per day.

The per diem system goes into effect July 1 and will apply only to inmates booked on or after that date. Those already incarcerated will remain under the previous system.

The change came at the recommendation of BSRDC Administrator Byron Hansford.

“I’ve heard people complain about the $130 booking fee,” Hansford said. “My opinion is, yeah, they got put in jail, but that’s not our fault. Why should the taxpayer have to pay for all this stuff for them, and they not pay a dime?”

Hansford said he reviewed several inmate commissary accounts and compared balances to booking fees.

“They pay a $130 booking fee,” he said. “Some have been here six months or longer. The longer they’re here, the less that fee covers. If someone is here for a year, it comes out to 40-some cents a day. That doesn’t sustain them. We’re feeding, housing and paying for electricity, water and everything else.”

Hansford noted that many jails have adopted a per diem model.

“You can charge up to $56 per day for county inmates—not state,” he said.

“What I’m looking at is dropping the booking fee to $25 and charging a $5 daily fee. That’s $1,825 for a full year, or about $152.08 per month. I don’t know anyone who can live out there for $152.08 a month. That’s not too bad, but it will definitely help this jail.”

Under the new system, the $25 booking fee must be paid before inmates can access the commissary.

If an inmate is acquitted, any money must be refunded.

Inmates released with unpaid balances can arrange monthly payments with the detention center.

“We’ve been getting a few payments,” Hansford said.

A past booking fee settlement program is also in place: inmates can pay 40% of their balance and have the remaining 60% forgiven.

Unpaid balances may be turned over to collection agencies.

“If you put a little pressure on them, you’re not going to get it all, but you’ll get some money,” Hansford said.

The jail currently has $4 million in uncollected booking fees, according to Treasurer Pam Burgess.

Hansford also proposed several other revenue-generating options, though the board did not take formal action on those.

Proposals included charging inmates for medication: $110 per dose for Methadone, $39 for Suboxone, and $2,800 per monthly Sublocade shot.

“KRS says we can charge them the actual medical fee,” Hansford said. “You’re not going to get every one of them, but it’s a charge we can access by deducting from their commissary to help cover the cost.”

He also proposed fines for inmates who cause injury to other inmates or staff requiring medical attention: $50 if treated at the jail, $200 if transport to a hospital is required, $100 for X-rays and $125 for ultrasounds.

“Maybe they’ll think twice before doing that,” Hansford said.

He proposed charging inmates $60 per dental visit and $15 for failing a drug test after 30 days of incarceration.

“That’s just stuff to help the jail,” said Hansford.

Board adopts budget

The board adopted a $3.76 million budget for fiscal year 2026 after hearing its second reading.

Treasurer Pam Burgess reported no changes since the first reading last month, which painted a bleak financial outlook due to declining inmate populations and a $226,559 reduction in revenue.

Burgess previously said the jail is on track to end the current fiscal year with a deficit of approximately $500,000.

Board member Steve Rose of Johnson County asked what monthly revenue the facility needs to remain solvent in the upcoming fiscal year.

“Housing—we need to be at least at $230,000 to $240,000 to sustain and to be able to meet our insurance payments,” Burgess said. “Right now, there’s no hope. There’s no extra for me to put toward what we’re going to owe. You’re already going to owe for this year, so there’s no way to put aside money for the next year. We’re just digging a deeper hole. Unless we find other revenue streams—I mean, it’s up to you all.”

Rose then asked how many inmates the facility needs to house to meet that revenue goal.

Hansford said the center needs 240 to 250 inmates to cover operating costs.

“A lot of that has to do with the court system,” Rose commented.

Hansford said the jail housed 83 state inmates the previous day and noted, “We’ve not dropped below 70. We’ve kept it at 70 or higher.”

Burgess said the target number for state inmates is 90 or more.

“It’s been dropping for the last year and a half,” Hansford added.

The average daily inmate population for May was 216. On Thursday, the jail held 197 inmates.