Jail board approves $1,000 commissary transfer and passes FY24 commissary budget

The Prince William County Adult Detention Center jail board voted May 17 to approve Resolution 2023-3, a $1,000 transfer from indigent inmate supplies to the commissary gym equipment line, and to adopt the proposed FY2024 commissary budget.

Miss Vienna presented the budget update and said the gym equipment line was overdrawn because of infrequent but necessary purchases. She said commissary funds come primarily from commissions on inmate phone/tablet purchases and from inmate commissary sales and are restricted for inmate benefit and audited annually by the county. Unidentified Speaker 5 moved to approve Resolution 2023-3; the motion passed by voice vote with board members recorded as voting in favor.

Staff also presented the FY2024 commissary budget, noted work to identify appropriate gym flooring resistant to tampering, and described a planned reentry dorm and television infrastructure projects being carried into next year. Unidentified Speaker 5 moved to approve the FY2024 commissary budget; the motion carried by voice vote.

The board did not allocate general tax revenue to the commissary fund; staff reiterated that commissary funds are legally restricted and are used for inmate programs, equipment and reentry supports. The board recorded no further conditions on use. The board did not discuss any appeals or public comments during the budget votes.

The next procedural step is execution of the budget transfer and accounting adjustments by finance staff, who said purchases will remain subject to county audit and commissary restrictions.