NATCHEZ — The City of Natchez’ s decision to temporarily forego its payment for the housing of youth prisoners in a county-owned facility should not cause a problem, at least in the short term, county officials said.

“It’s not going to affect operations,” County Administrator Joe Murray said. “But it is an interlocal agreement they are bound to, and it is money we budget in and expect.”

The issue came up at a city meeting earlier this week, when the Natchez Board of Aldermen voted to remove the payment for housing youth prisoners at the county juvenile justice center from its docket of expenses.

Some members of the board said they were unaware of such a payment and wanted more information, though City Clerk Donnie Holloway said it has been paid for years.

The payment is part of an interlocal agreement between the city and county governments, first executed in 1994.

At the time, the city agreed to donate the property at the corner of Pearl and State streets on which the juvenile justice building sits to the county, which in turn would be solely responsible for building and staffing the facility. The facility was completed in 2001 and first started receiving prisoners in March 2002.

The interlocal agreement also stipulates the city will pay $50,000 annually for the operations, with an incremental price adjustments in accordance with the consumer price index. The payment was adjusted to $57,485 in 2005, and $64,251 in 2012.

The agreement is for the city to spread the cost with monthly payments, but Murray said it has always been paid in an annual lump sum.

Despite the non-payment, Murray said the facility would still receive youth prisoners from the city.

“It serves the children of the City of Natchez the same as they do the county (outside the city limits), just like (Natchez) does the fire service,” he said. “Just like they charge us for the fire service, we charge them for the juveniles.”

Adams County Youth Court Judge Walt Brown said he had not been made aware of the city’s decision to delay the payment. While Brown said any budget cut would have an impact, he said things would continue as normal.

“As far as I am concerned, if there is a child the (city) police department has arrested on a criminal charge, we are going to treat them like we have always treated them,” Brown said.

In addition to Adams County youth offenders, the juvenile justice center also houses youth from surrounding counties, which also pay for the service.

Federal law requires youth inmates be housed in a separate facility from adult inmates, that is not only out of sight but out of hearing range as well.