Ludo, the Lycoming County Facility dog, will now be making regular monthly visits to the county’s Pre-Release Center.

One of the residents at the center had requested a visit from Ludo for emotional support, Warden Brad Shoemaker told the Prison Board at their meeting this week. The visit went so well that it will now be a regular part of Ludo’s job, provided that he and his owner, Jerri Rook can schedule it.

“We feel it’s a valid program to provide for the inmates,” Shoemaker said.

Another topic of discussion at the meeting was the recent news that the county had been removed from the list of sanctuary counties compiled by the Center for Immigration Studies.

Sheriff Mark Lusk, chairman of the Prison Board, said that the issue with naming the county as a sanctuary county really came down to a “difference of interpretation.”

In their response the center referenced that due to the fact that an ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) office would be “nowhere near” Williamsport was factored into their decision.

Lusk said that it was “one of those points of contention that needed to be clarified.”

In March, the Prison Board had drafted and approved a policy clarifying the prison’s procedures for collaborating with ICE regarding ICE detainers in order to have the county removed as a sanctuary county on the center’s website.

The underutilization of the Pre-Release Center (PRC), an issue brought up by Commissioner Scott Metzger at a recent commissioners’ meeting, was again raised by Metzger in his capacity as a member of the Prison Board.

Citing the fact that the PRC runs at about 35 to 40 percent capacity, Metzger said that it was hard to justify to taxpayers the amount of money that it takes to operate it annually — about $2 million.

Although he was not advocating closing the center, he suggested that it could be better used to fill other needs, such as for juveniles or mental health.

Referring to the usage of the PRC, Metzger said, “We’ll continue to keep an eye on it.”

It was noted that about 10 to 20 PRC residents are sent to Resource Management Services to help with the single stream recycling. There are also other work crews where the residents are sent.

The next Prison Board meeting will be at 8:30 p.m. July 12 at Third Street Plaza, 33 West Third St.