Big changes that could translate into millions of dollars in savings for Marion county.
The Sheriff announced Tuesday new plans for the County's Juvenile Detention Center that could have counties all over the State following their lead.
For the first time ever attempted in the State of Florida, the Marion County Sheriff Department is taking over the Juvenile Detention Services from the hands of the State.
"There has been significant savings," Sheriff Ed Dean told TV 20 after he and Deputy Secretary, Rod Love of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice addressed reporters.
The Sheriff said that for the last fiscal year, 3.2 million dollars were budgeted for Marion County to pay the State to service Juvenile Detention.
"That is not in the budget this year," he said. "We have absorbed the detention requirement of the jail in the budget, without increasing that budget."
He said the 3.2 million dollars are staying in Marion County. And using a word familiar to the Sheriff's recent vocabulary, he said the millions of dollars in savings would come from consolidation.
"Consolidation of function, consolidation of facility in order to save taxpayer dollars," he said.
The Sheriff recently submitted what some considered a "bold proposal" to the Marion County Board of Commissioners consolidating the County's Fire Rescue and Sheriff's Departments. A blue-ribbon panel is currently studying that proposal and results are expected January.