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Chairman Scurlock believed what we are basically saying to the Sheriff is that, because the media has printed some things which have been misunderstood, we want to make it very clear that no deal has been made for the transfer. The Sheriff stated that he expected his budget to be scrutinized the same as it always has been in the past. Commissioner Wodtke referred to an article in U.S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT - "Prisoners for Profit," which reports on corporations that are becoming involved in providing jail facilities. He believed there is such a non-profit foundation in Florida, the Eckerd Foundation, and he would like to contact them to see what interest they might have as he has not seen anything government can do more efficiently or cheaply than private industry. Administrator Wright reported that we are currently discussing this with a private for-profit company. He is familiar with what the Eckerd Foundation is doing, but believed it is at the Okeechobee Correctional Institute. The Administrator did not believe they work with jails. In further discussion, it was agreed the Administrator should check into this and if there is interest, refer it to the Finance Advisory Committee. Discussion continued re the advantages of the proposed transfer, and the Administrator described how we are interworking with the Sheriff now on use of trustees, etc. He was firmly of the opinion that it would make his job a lot easier to have a streamlined operation. He reminded the Commission that the Sheriff is the only law enforcement agency in the county that has a jail. Commissioner Bird noted that the Administrator had assured him that if.we took on the jail operation, he did not anticipate the need for any additional county personnel because of that burden, and Administrator Wright confirmed that the only people we may look for would be people that 7 J U L 10 1984 _ BOOK PAPE 577