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CCNO Lays Off More Than 10% Of Its Employees




Because the city of Toledo did not pay its $1.2 million bill from the Corrections Commission of Northwest Ohio, more than 19 people have lost their jobs at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio.

CCNO, the city of Toledo, and Lucas County have been embroiled in controversy for more than a year.

Toledo officials say it’s up to Lucas County to pay for the jail stays of people arrested in Toledo.

Lucas County is considering building its own jail and dropping out of the 26-yearold, 638-bed regional jail facility.

The Corrections Commission bills the six member jurisdictions (Toledo; Lucas, Fulton, Defiance, Henry, Williams counties) quarterly.

Because Toledo has the most beds allocated for its prisoners, at 228, the city pays the largest share of the quarterly operating costs.

Under the current operating agreement, any jurisdiction may drop out of CCNO by not paying its bill for 60 days.

Toledo has not paid its $1.2 million bill that was due July 1.

Jim Dennis, CCNO executive director, said Lucas County has increased its bed allocation from 203 to 303, to hold what it believes to be its share of Toledo inmates.

In addition, a press report said Lucas County has contracted with Wood County for jail bed space.

Currently, there are about 600 inmates at CCNO, Dennis said.

Layoffs

In response to the Toledo decision to skip its payment, several actions have been taken, Dennis said.

•Five corrections officers were laid off, effective Aug. 1.

•Nine case managers were laid off, effective Aug. 1.

•Two vacancies in the CCNO transportation department will not be filled.

•Three employees have retired since July 31; those positions will not be filled.

That’s 19 positions that have been either laid off or will not be filled, out of a total of about 170 employees, Dennis said.

Further, the jail has stopped doing “programming,” or classes within CCNO that could help inmates advance their skills.

He said two part-time general education diploma teachers plus one other parttime person have been laid off.

Additionally, at the end of the month, seven substance abuse counselors, employed by another agency, will be cut.

Because CCNO operates on a month-to-month cash basis, Dennis said the personnel cuts will be evaluated monthly “to see if we’re saving what we hope to save.”

Fill

In the meantime, Dennis said CCNO officials are looking to fill the 128 beds left open by the Toledo decision.

One project CCNO is working on is contracting with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections for a diversion program at the regional jail.

Also, Dennis said CCNO is in discussion with the United States Marshal Service.



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