An empty tiny home at the local county jail that was originally intended to provide living quarters for the warden could be used to provide vocational training for the facility’s inmates.
But after the warden admitted she is not living or staying at the home, one supervisor questioned why it was even purchased in the first place.
“If you are not going to live in it, why did we get it to start with,” questioned Supervisor Lee Moore.
The discussion arose during Monday’s Board of Supervisors meeting when Sheriff Jeremy McCoy asked about the future plans of the tiny home at the Yazoo County Regional Correctional Facility. He said a compliance officer suggested the empty structure be used as an inmate vocational center at the local jail.
“He came and did an inspection and said that it was an opportunity for a vocational center,” McCoy said. “He said it was not really designed for the purpose of its intent.”
The tiny home was provided to the supervisors in exchange for county land last year. About 11 acres of land off of Highway 3 near the county jail was exchanged for the tiny home from a local business at a price of about $53,000. The tiny home was acquired to provide living quarters for Warden Jacqueline Morton, who requested that the county board provide her local living arrangements to better serve her role at the local jail facility.
“I thought the county spent money to buy it,” asked McCoy, during his discussion.
“We did,” replied Moore. “We sold land and swapped that house for it. That was money that came out of the county.”
Morton told the county board that the regional compliance officer said the home could be established as a training center for inmates to learn electrical work and other vocational skills.
“Are you not living or staying there,” Moore asked Morton.
“No, I am not there,” replied Morton.
That is when Moore questioned why the county engaged in the agreement in the first place if Morton was not living or staying at the home. Supervisor Joseph Thomas Jr. said it was originally done to stay in compliance “with the law.”
“It was about being in compliance with the state,” Thomas said. “As long we are in compliance, that is all I care about. They have the option to live there, but my thing is being in compliance.”
“By law, we have to have something for the warden,” added Supervisor Willie Wright. “In the past, we always had a little trailer house out there. But we already spent the money. That is the money we spent. Are we talking about more money?”
McCoy asked how the county could provide furniture inside the home, which remains empty at the time.
“There isn’t anything in it,” McCoy said. “That was what we were lost on; how to get furniture to even live in it.”
“(The jail) has its own budget,” replied Thomas.
Wright said the board needs a better understanding of how to remain in compliance legally. He suggested having a meeting with Jerry Williams, the jail facility consultant, at the next county board meeting.
“I think we need a better understanding,” Wright said. “That is taxpayer money that we used for that right there. We were doing what we were told, what the law said. But we need to meet about all this.”
