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The Chambers County Commissioners discussed an increased budget for the county’s contract with the Lee County Youth Development Center in the form of $84,033. The agreement contracts out two beds for Chambers County youth.

The contract is between East Alabama Juvenile Detention program’s LCYDC and Chambers County Juvenile Court (CCJC).

In a letter attached to the agreement, Wendy Birmingham, LCYDC deputy director, said the LCYDC is in “dire need” of increased funding as their current financial situation is “not sustainable.”

Chambers County’s contract provides two beds for the CCJC’s use for a total of 730 days in accordance with the agreement effective from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025.

The LCYDC’s services must provide a facility “to hold a juvenile in a state of confinement pending further and/or final disposition by the Chambers County Juvenile Court.”

In the request from the LCYDC, it states: “Although we have worked hard to contain costs and curtail expenditures, the soaring costs of insurance premiums, utilities, goods, and services continue to have us at a disadvantage. For the past 36 months our Regional Detention Center has undergone a series of necessary upgrades, repairs and enhancements to improve the safety of our detainees, staff and visitors.”

Chambers County is also responsible for any emergency medical care that CCJC youth may need while in detention.

According to the contract, Chambers County will pay $84,033.95 to the LCYDC in four installments of $21,008.48 per quarter.

On the other hand, the LCYDC detention program is responsible for providing food, clothing, shelter and other care to CCJC youth as appropriate. The LCYDC is also responsible for providing adequate education to the youth in accordance with Alabama Department of Education.

According to Birmingham’s letter, one CCJC bed is held for the Chambers County Juvenile Court’s use for 117 days of secure detention care. For this bed, the costs are offset by revenues from the state Department of Youth Services.

The second contract bed will be in the CCJC’s use for 730 days of secure care, which is the same number of days as last year, according to the contract.