By Rupert Howell
Sheriff Dennis Darby informed supervisors last Monday that Panola County will continue to house state inmates at the David M. Bryan Justice Center for the Mississippi Department of Corrections, but will not receive the $20 per day as in the past.

More than a dozen counties last week had agreed to continue using state inmates in a work program without reimbursement from the Department of Corrections.

The department began phasing out the current Joint State County Work Program starting August 1 according to a news release from MDOC.

“MDOC will take care of medical (bills),” Darby said Monday while stating that he worked out a deal with MDOC which would now make Panola one of approximately 14 counties signing a memorandum of understanding with MDOC.

Darby also noted his department could be selective with inmates that are housed in the county facility. He said there were currently 20 state inmates housed at the county facility.

The county has traditionally used state inmates for a variety of task such as building and grounds maintenance, solid waste employees, construction, auto repair, roadside litter pickup and other areas saving the county $850,000 according to county estimates.

Newly appointed MDOC Director Marshall Fisher was recently appointed to the position following the resignation of former commissioner Chris Epps who resigned following corruption charges.