PRATTVILLE ― About two months ago, Autauga County Sheriff Mark Harrell evacuated the Autauga Metro Jail over health concerns due to the presence of black mold in the building.
The evacuation moved inmates to county jails throughout the state. It costs the Autauga County Commission between $35 and $50 per day, per inmate to have other jails house the inmates, the sheriff said.
The action has led to the sheriff and members of the County Commission exchanging barbs in meetings and through media outlets.
The sheriff and commission members have a balance of power. The sheriff’s position is the highest elected office in the county, and the sheriff is a constitutional officer. The five members of the commission are elected by districts to represent the county.
More: Autauga Metro Jail being evacuated amid health and safety concerns
The commission is the legislative branch, and as such controls the purse strings. The commission determines the sheriff’s office budget, and it approves personnel actions, such as hiring and firing, among other oversight powers.
As of July 29, the commission has approved no work in the jail to remove the mold or remediate the situation. Commissioners have had the jail inspected and concur that black mold exists in the building. But the governing body believes the situation is not dangerous and the evacuation of the jail was “unnecessary.”
Commissioners say they are working to get vendors in place to remove the mold and clean the jail.
What does the future hold and will the jail situation affect the working relationship between the County Commission and sheriff?
The M on tgomery Advertiser emailed three questions to each of the five commissioners and the sheriff. The commissioners decided it would be best not to answers questions individually and instead sent a common response, said County Administrator Scott Kramer.
Here are the questions and answers:
Q: In the wake of the evacuation of the jail, can the sheriff and commissioners work together in the future?
A: (Sheriff Harrell) "Absolutely. I will continue to work with the commission. I took my oath of office on Jan. 16, 2023, and I swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Alabama. Towards that end, I, in my capacity as the sheriff, I am a member of the executive branch of government. The County Commission is the legislative branch of the county government. The commission and I must work together to perform our respective functions and duties to the people of Autauga County. I am committed to continuing to work with the commission but the issues with the jail must be addressed in a timely manner."
A: (The commission) "The County Commission is dedicated to doing what is right for the people of Autauga. We are committed to using taxpayer resources wisely and benefitting the county through every county department and decision. The commission plans to work with all our departments with those same goals and desires."
Q: Has there been a loss of trust between commissioners and the sheriff?
A: (The Commission) "The commission certainly would have preferred for the sheriff to inform us of his plan to evacuate the jail before we learned about it as it happened. However, we are looking forward, not backward, and are committed to public safety and serving the people of Autauga County; we will continue to work with the sheriff to that end, as this is not about personalities but about the people (who) we have all taken an oath to serve."
A: (Harrell) "Trust is difficult without effective communication. Better communication may have prevented the situation from evolving into a larger issue. Indeed, during remarks made at the commission meeting on July 2, it became evident that there is some difficulty concerning the commissioners themselves being able to effectively communicate with their legal counsel and the county administrator.
"My attorney (Trey Richardson) has provided me with copies of all correspondence between himself and the county attorney. At my direction, he has been very open and transparent in providing the commission, through their attorney, with updates on the situation as they have happened, including furnishing the commission’s attorney with copies of all reports that have been generated. Mr. Richardson has made repeated requests for updates from the commission regarding how the issues with the jail are to be handled. Since this matter began, the commission’s attorney has not provided any updates whatsoever concerning the issues. This is indicative of the lack of communication that is occurring.
"I welcome the opportunity to speak with the commissioners about being able to communicate in a more effective way. I think we should discuss where the bottlenecks/barriers in communication are, and let’s figure out how to address them so that we can have open direct lines of communication between the commission and myself without barriers.
"I recognize that the commission has a job to do, and I also recognize that it is indeed a difficult job. However, for any of us to perform our jobs in a manner that best benefits the people of Autauga County, issues with communication must be addressed."
Q: This is a commission-specific question. Where will the funding come from to house inmates in other county jails?
A: "The sheriff made deals to pay other facilities for housing inmates without talking to the commission about those plans or the associated costs. The commission has and will continue to fulfill its legal obligation to fund the operations of an Autauga County jail."
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Sheriff, commissioners answer Autauga Metro Jail questions
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