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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Survey will tell more about steelhead's movements, one clip at a time ... RCC selects new president: Kemper-Pelle of Texas ... Eight Abdill students stuck in elevator while smoke rises in Century Building ... Survey will tell more about steelhead's movements, one clip at a time ... RCC selects new president: Kemper-Pelle of Texas ... Eight Abdill students stuck in elevator while smoke rises in Century Building ... GRANTS PASS City looks at renewing utility fee to pay for jail space Comment By Jules Rogers Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jules Rogers Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Mar. 11, 2016 at 2:35 PM By Jules Rogers Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Mar. 11, 2016 at 2:35 PM » Social News Grants Pass City Council is looking at renewing a utility fee for another year to pay for the 28 beds at the Josephine County Jail it rents for suspects arrested by city police. "We will renew the utility fee, it's just a matter of what the rate's going to be at this point," Councilor Dennis Roler told the Daily Courier. The contract between the city and jail costs nearly $1 million. This is the fourth consecutive year the city has rented extra beds after budget cuts in 2012 decimated the sheriff's office, which now operates the 262-bed county jail at half capacity. It would operate at an even lower level if not for the contract with the city. City police continue to battle problems with transients and petty crime, particularly in the downtown business district. Like many rural Oregon cities, Grants Pass does not have a municipal jail and must rely on the county jail to house suspects arrested by city police. Councilors said they renewed the contract last week, despite unanswered questions about the utility fee, as a sign of good faith to county officials. The fee is set to expire June 30. "All we're trying to do is give them an indication so they can figure that into their budget," Roler said. "We're still playing around with rates right now." Added Councilor Valerie Lovelace: "We just want a heads-up for the county — it's important for them to know ahead of time, for their sake." Most residents pay less than $3 a month on their water bill to pay for the jail contract. The fees are higher for businesses. The residential fee is based on the type of home, ranging from 71 cents to $2.84 per month. For 90 percent of the city's businesses, the fee ranges from $9.47 to $28.39 a month. Businesses that generate a lot of customer traffic can pay more than $500 a month. By Jules Rogers Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jules Rogers Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Mar. 11, 2016 at 2:35 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501