Agencies throughout the Basin are finding ways to tighten their belts but some are also pushing to offset the pinch by increasing revenues. Uintah County Sheriff Vance Norton says that one approach being taken is to steadily increase the amount of inmates housed at the Uintah County Jail. There are currently 97 inmates, explains Sheriff Norton, but there is a capacity to hold over 200. State inmate contracts are available for the Uintah County Jail and the goal is to reach 200 to 215 inmates. That would increase revenue by 4 million dollars, says Sheriff Norton. This would also require hiring up to 5 more jailers which helps put more people to work locally. The Sheriff’s office has slimmed down their operating budget from over $1.1 million dollars in 2013 to a budget request of $629,500 dollars for the upcoming budget year.
