Officials progress on jail fees as Chillicothe’s Mayor dodges fiscal responsibility ahead of election

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The ongoing fiscal responsibility struggle between Ross County and the City of Chillicothe has escalated, with the county invoicing the city $60,000 for the cost of housing inmates during the month of July. This recent move comes as Mayor Luke Feeney, currently vying for reelection this year, faces accusations of evading his fiscal obligations. The historical conflict, which dates back to 2010, continues to cast a shadow over the city and county’s relationship. Though, council members said they support the city following through with their fiscal responsibility, they said that it’s the town’s chief executive who is responsible for the negotiations.

The debate stems from a contract signed in 1998 that did not have an expiration date. Under the agreement, the city closed their own jail and housed inmates with the county for $58 a day. Earlier this year, Ross County Auditor Jeff Lehner looked over the county’s books and saw a hole: more than a million dollars missing per year. He tracked it down to the city not paying their jail bill; approximately $12 million total.

Lehner met with Sheriff George Lavender and the county commission. As a group, the five men approached the city to renegotiate the contract — this time at a reduced rate of $45 per inmate, per day; a significant savings to the city in exchange for a waived water bill. Waiving a water bill as part of an inmate housing contract is a common practice for municipalities in Ohio.

After months of no progress, on Monday, Ross County officials billed the city based on the original rate of $58 per inmate per day, resulting in a monthly charge of $1,798.00 per inmate. The invoiced amount corresponds to a total of 1,036 inmate days.

Democrat Mayor Luke Feeney finds himself at the center of the controversy as he navigates reelection campaigns. Amid the fiscal responsibility dispute, Feeney — who is a self-described liberal — has been accused of dodging his obligations by refusing to respond to emails and phone calls from county officials and council members. This alleged lack of communication has only fueled the tension between the city and county authorities.

“Unfortunately the Mayor has chosen not to engage with County officials on multiple offers to negotiate on a matter that everyone in Chillicothe and Ross County used to agree on,” Lehner said Monday morning. “That’s his call but we’re not willing to waste time or play silly games on this. Now it’s up to City Council and we’ll see what they do with it.”

Lehner has cited legal provisions, sharing that the city’s obligation extended beyond the agreement signed and encompassed the imperative of caring for inmates “at its own expense” through state statute.

“[State law says] the legislative authority of a municipal corporation shall provide by ordinance for sustaining all persons sentenced to or confined in a prison or station house at the expense of the municipal corporation,” Lehner said. “This speaks not only to that the city is required to care for its inmates, but that it is required to do so ‘at its own expense.’“

Meanwhile, city council members urge the mayor to come to the table and save the city money.

“The funding of the shared jail is a large concern to our community. Not only does it impact the safety of our streets but also the safety of the deputies, inmates, and staff,” councilwoman Julie Preston said. “[… ] The jail facility was consolidated logically and an agreement for shared costs was entered. Other communities have this same agreement and since the crime and drug violations have increased, unfortunately so has the number in the jails and this has seriously stretched the budgets and abilities of Sheriff’s offices statewide. We need to collectively help each other.”

The ongoing debate revolves around the allocation of expenses related to city-arrested individuals housed in the county jail. The historical conflict’s roots stretch back to then-Police Chief Roger Moore’s controversial directive in 2010, where he refused to pay jail bills.

As the city and county grapple with this issue, the invoicing of $60,000 for July’s inmate housing costs serves as a stark reminder of the unresolved financial dispute. Feeney’s alleged evasion of fiscal responsibility further complicates the situation, adding a political layer to the ongoing debate.