Fentress Renews Contract With State For Housing State Prisoners

Fentress County has renewed its contract for housing state prisoners.

County Executive Jimmy Johnson said that the state’s Department of Correction pays approximately $39 per prisoner per day to help counties offset costs.

“We have to furnish the housing and such and pay for the bills of our own,” Johnson said. “And so when that gives us a little bit of help. When they’re a status of 1129, they’re considered a state prisoner and we will help house prisoners from throughout the state.”

Johnson said while it doesn’t fully cover the cost of housing state prisoners, every little bit helps. He said that the contract recently approved by the County Commission had no changes to its previous contract.