New LCDC administrator wants to hit the ground running
The newly appointed LeFlore County Detention Center (LCDC) Administrator Dan Carter had a press conference last week with county newspapers, appealing for support from citizens, churches, businesses and support groups for various needs from ministering to inmates to medical supplies.
Carter, a 20-year veteran with the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department with experience in all phases of the Drug Court, has a vision and a plan to make the county jail a better meeting place to work while appealing to the public for support.
Carter plans to open the doors to all churches in the county, asking ministers, volunteers and groups to help with needs of inmates.
In his vision for change and improvements, Carter twice mentioned during the press conference church inmates need counseling, sometimes just to be peace at mind.
“I want to make the 21st century church become the First Century Church” — asking for “people to pray for change” and contact the county jail to offer their services or donations.
Carter is inviting any and all ministers to have church services at the jail for inmates of all religions.
The jail capacity is limited to 186 inmates. Carter said it stays close to that number almost every day.
The county jail always is low on medical supplies such as Tylenol, asprin, ibuprofen, and bandaids. Carter extending invitations to healthcare individuals for various reasons. There also is a need for toiletries such as toothpaste, soap and towels.
The critical need is for a part-time nurse to be at LCDC every day. Carter said it could be a volunteer registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN). However, the county has funds to help pay for immediate medical needs, but not day-to-day medical check-ups such as blood-pressure check and monitoring blood sugar for diabetes.
Carter did share his concern about payroll issues. The average guard’s pay per month, before taxes and withholding, is $2,150.
“The guards are the lowest-paid employees working for the county,” Carter said. “I plan to change that, and my goal is to raise the monthly pay to $2,500 per month,”
Carter said monthly payroll for LCDC operations is pegged at $110,000.
There also is a need for more guards at the jail.
“We also need female guards,” Carter said.
There is a county sales tax of onefourth of a cent sales tax for jail operations. This is not enough, compared to 20 years ago when the new LCDC was built, and population of the county has grown by at least 8,000 in the past 10 years.
The half-cent county sales tax goes to the bond to payoff construction of the jail, which was built in 2004. The bond will be paid off in 2024 and the tax expires.
A petition to extend or renew the sales tax would have to be voted on by county residents. This would give LCDC more operating revenue.
To contact Carter offering support, assistance or donations, call (918) 647-5013.