Lincoln County supervisors Monday voted to buy a new jailmanagement system for the sheriff’s department, but how to pay forit remains to be determined.

Funds for the approximately $53,800 system for booking andprocessing inmates will come from proceeds from the jail’s inmatetelephone system. The system, for out-going collect calls only,generates $700-$900 a month in county revenue, officials said.

“It’s been a blessing,” said Sheriff Lynn Boyte.

There are currently six phones in the jail, with the countygetting 25 percent of generated revenue. When the new jail iscompleted, 10 additional phones will be available.

“With the new jail, that should generate a lot more money,” saidDistrict 1 Supervisor Cliff Givens.

According to a proposal from Evercom Systems, Inc., the companywould supply the jail phone system and management system and paythe county a 10 percent commission from phone revenue. The companywould also make almost $1,100 monthly payments over five yearstoward the lease purchase of the system.

Supervisors agreed to purchase the system, but questionedwhether there was a better financing option. An alternativediscussed Monday would have the county continuing to receive the 25percent commission and making the system payments itself.

Officials plan to study cost projections to the determine thebetter plan so that supervisors can make a decision at the nextmeeting.

AUDIT REPORT

In other matters, Road Manager Tommy Summers updated supervisorson a recent audit department visit that resulted in no actionagainst the county.

Summers said the department was looking into complaintsinvolving graveling of a public road that was thought to beprivate, a county employee’s driver’s license and a gravel supplierfor the county.

Also on a road-related note, supervisors are in the process ofpreparing an official map of the county’s public and private roads.Supervisors are reviewing lists of roads and makingdeterminations.

Bob Allen, county attorney, said there is a list of about fiveor six criteria for deciding whether a road is public or private.Use for mail or school bus routes is one criteria, but Allen saidbecause a a road meets one criteria does not necessarily mean it isa public road.

A public hearing on the road map is expected to be held beforethe July 1 deadline for approval. Lincoln County is not alone inhaving to identify public and private roads.

“Counties all over the state are in the same shape,” Allen said,mentioning state legislation requiring road identification.