THE CITY REBORN FROM THE ASHES OF AMERICA'S MOST DISASTROUS FOREST FIRE
Jail Staff Shortage Just Gets Worse
Issue Date: March 11, 2022
Marinette County Sheriff Jerry Sauve told the County Board's Public Services Committee on Tuesday, March 8 that the jail staff shortage is getting worse. They are currently short five civilian jailers, and soon another vacancy will happen when the Assistant Jail Administrator leaves. A deputy will be promoted to fill that position, however.
Sauve said he has sent a letter to Administrator John LeFebvre asking to keep the jailer positions on an open "help wanted" listing, so they can hire applicants as they come in, and hopefully speed up the process.
Sauve said jails and prisons all over Wisconsin are having trouble recruiting and retaining corrections officers, and urged, "These are good career jobs, with good pay and good benefits. Come in, apply, and we'll train you."
Jail population had been growing rapidly for a while, but now has remained stable at an average prisoner count of 112 per day, "so we're holding our own," Sauve said.
Sauve reported that his department recently hired former Peshtigo Police officer Ryan Nemetz, to replace Deputy Fred Popp.
(Popp left his employment with the Sheriff's Department to become Police Chief at Peshtigo.)
Sauve said two positions will need to be filled for the Sheriff's Department. Deputy Chris Tonn is retiring at the end of April, and Detective Todd Baldwin is also leaving.
The move of county offices continues. The office of District Attorney DeShea Morrow has been moved into the Courthouse Annex as part of its conversion into a Judicial Center. Morrow said the new office, in the same building with the courtrooms, is a better location, and thanked maintenance and parks and forestry staff for the work they did to make the move a smooth one. The job was done in two days, she said.
LeFebvre said moving these offices entails more than just moving people and supplies. For the DA office, they had to bring in a person from the state to change the technology. In a final set of moves, Human Resources will be re-located to the third floor of the courthouse, and its space in the annex will be occupied by Probate.
Facilities and Parks will be moved to the main floor of the original courthouse, and will have an office for ease in serving the public.
Work has started on the Data Center on the fourth floor of the courthouse.
LeFebvre said he and Facilities Director Martin Keyport are going to Door County next week to see what they are doing about security.
Once all the moves are done to create the judicial center, a security system will be installed where everyone entering will need to do so through the ground floor and there will be cameras in the stair cases. Exits can be made through other doors, but all entries will be through the security checkpoint. Only staff members with keys will be allowed to enter through other doors and stairwells.