According to the Muncie Star Press, a significant step has been taken by Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner towards establishing clear financial guidelines for his department’s utilization of funds generated from the jail commissary.

Presenting the proposed ordinance before the county council, Skinner addressed the need to create a structured framework for the expenditure of these resources, which he believes should have been in place for several years.

Expressing his surprise at the absence of an existing document, Skinner remarked during the council session on Tuesday, “I’ve always been under the impression that this document already existed. It should have existed years ago.” The sheriff collaborated with fellow county officials in an attempt to locate a copy of the ordinance, but their efforts proved fruitless.

Skinner then partnered with council attorney Ben Freeman to craft an ordinance that outlines the permissible uses of the funds. This endeavor involved drawing inspiration from similar ordinances implemented in neighboring counties. 

The jail commissary, an internal store accessible to inmates for purchasing goods through their commissary accounts funded by friends and family, also facilitates transactions for communication services such as phone, text, and video chats.

Notably, an external contractor manages the commissary on behalf of the sheriff’s department, with a fraction of each transaction contributing to the department’s revenue. “The money adds up,” Skinner emphasized, shedding light on the significant sums involved. In the past year alone, the department amassed over $400,000 from commissary activities.

Sheriff Skinner outlined his intention to establish transparent guidelines for both his own tenure and that of future sheriffs regarding the allocation of commissary funds. The proposed ordinance outlines 21 distinct categories of spending that do not necessitate approval from the county council. Among these categories, nine are aligned with existing state statutes.

Council attorney Freeman noted that the state statute also grants the sheriff the authority to spend commissary funds on endeavors deemed suitable by mutual agreement between the council and the sheriff. The proposed ordinance extends this prerogative to include initiatives intended to enhance inmate morale and well-being, reflecting an emphasis on holistic corrections.

Sheriff Skinner highlighted that previous sheriffs have wielded considerable discretion in directing commissary funds, necessitating a more defined approach. “Every sheriff has had control of the commissary account and every sheriff has had a lot of discretion about how that money is spent,” Skinner stated. 

His aim, he asserted, is to enshrine specificity and transparency in the utilization of commissary funds. The proposed listing, he clarified, largely formalizes the current practices already in place beyond the scope of the state statute.

Deliberations within the council chambers revolved around the nuances of the proposed ordinance until Council Member-at-Large Eugene Whitehead proposed introducing the ordinance for first reading. This procedural move would allow council members ample time to consider the ordinance before casting their votes on its adoption at the upcoming September meeting. The council collectively endorsed this approach, with unanimous support for Whitehead’s motion.

The original story was written by David Penticuff and appeared in the Muncie Star Press on August, 25th 2023. Portions of this article were generated using artificial intelligence.