NATCHEZ &8212; There was continued discussion on hiring a new bond officer at the Concordia Parish police jury meeting.

Judge Kathy Johnson addressed both the police jury and the Concordia Parish School Board and both have agreed to pay $1,000 a month if the bond officer accepts the position.

The jurors also discussed and voted on the sheriff&8217;s request for a prisoner per diem increase of 75 cents to $4.25 for the remainder of the year then another 75 cents to $5 next year.

The prisoner per diem increase is a way for misdemeanor offenders to pay their bonds and fines off by paying them monthly if they can&8217;t afford to pay the fine all at once.

This would mean next year misdemeanor offenders would pay about $40 a month.

&8220;Our hope is that this will help keep more people out of the parish jail, put, or at least keep, more money in our general fund and help pay the new bond officer,&8221; Secretary Russell Wagoner said.

Wagoner said that the money raised will also go to help pay for prisoner care inside the jail.

The Concordia Parish Sheriff&8217;s Office also agreed to let the bond officer use one of its patrol cars to perform his or her duties.

The officer&8217;s duties will include monitoring misdemeanor offenders&8217; curfews and making sure they pay their monthly fees.