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DAKOTA COUNTY JAIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES July 11, 2008 Jail Conference Room
PRESENT: Committee Members: Bill McLarty, Sally Reinert, Vincent Kramper and Bob Giese. Non-voting committee members: Debra Fergen, Deputy County Attorney and Scot Ford, South Sioux City Police Chief. Also present were Terry Kern, Director of Corrections, Mark Nelson, Jail Captain, Jackie Hartnett, Commissioner and Joan Spencer, Secretary. ABSENT: Committee Members: Marlin Millard. Non-voting committee members: James Wagner, Dakota County Sheriff.
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 a.m. by Chair McLarty. Roll Call was taken.
Vincent Kramper motioned, seconded by Bob Giese, to approve the minutes of March 14, 2008 as printed. The spelling of trusts/trusses will be corrected. Roll Call - All aye.
Update from Terry Kern, Director of Corrections, was given: Jail Occupancy: New Facility 99 Federal 49 Old Facility 18 Work Release 6 Juvenile 5 D&E 4 House Arrest __2 Total 128
Vincent Kramper asked if we still pay for prisoners at medical facilities. Terry Kern said yes, but medical costs are less.
Budget related costs: Federal Marshals were billed $89,000 plus change for the month of March—the most billed to date.
Year to date budget figures show $232,583.87 not spent. Terry reported our facility housed 1706 inmates translating to 39,343 inmate days at an average cost of $50.04 per day. Residency breakdown: 38% were from Dakota County, 35% from other Nebraska counties and other states and 27% from federal. Juvenile costs were $162,149.99 split between Woodbury and Madison. Income of $1,015,649 was generated from Federal Marshals Service, state prisoner reimbursement, SCAAP, inmate phones, house arrest, fingerprinting and Nebraska Jurisdiction inmates. This income offsets the operating budget 48% with a net effect of $1.1 million operating cost.
Status of Federal, BIA and ICE contracts, revenue sources: We have two years remaining on our Federal Marshal contract. Due to the flood in Cedar Rapids, they have moved their northern office to Sioux City. Terry feels this will generate more Federal inmates for our facility.
We have had an on-site assessment by ICE. An Action Plan was submitted to headquarters and we are getting closer to housing inmates for ICE, but no inmates from ICE as of yet.
We have received no prisoners from BIA. We have a contract with BIA for $90,000.
Inmate programs: Terry has spoken with a psychological firm on a non-medicated anger management support program.
Director of Corrections concerns: Juvenile Housing. We currently have a contract with Woodbury County at $100/day, but when they are full we need to find another facility for our juveniles. We are housing juveniles in Madison, but have no contract with them. A contract with Madison proposes a $25,733 per diem per capita cost and a reduced “member” daily housing cost of $145 versus $255. We would have no guaranteed placement without a contract. Over the last 4 years, we have averaged 2.3 juveniles at Madison per day. With Woodbury County being available, over the past year we averaged .75 juveniles per day. Per the proposed contract rates, we would have saved almost $5,000 this past year and if we average one (1) juvenile per day we would have a cost savings of $14,000.
Vincent Kramper stated that Bryant School is still being looked at as a juvenile facility and he is aware of the problem of housing juveniles.
Terry Kern noted that Woodbury is talking about expanding their juvenile facility in the near future.
Terry Kern brought up the contract between the Jail and Sheriff offices that specifies two transport deputies be available and the administrative assistant’s (Sandy) pay and time be split 60/40. He would like to re-negotiate the contract changing Sandy’s pay to 100% Jail budget, but her time still split 60/40. Also, the transport deputies could be more productively employed under Sheriff control. Hours for the transport deputies would be kept track of, but no billing between offices since it would all stay in the general fund. Contract language requires written, certified, 60-day notice to change the contract.
Terry Kern would like to hire a part-time accreditation manager. The American Correctional Association has an accreditation program that involves 411 performance standards that are very tough to meet. Most of these standards are incorporated in the ICE standards. Terry stated that the jail would be able to pass any inspection if we maintain these standards.
A motion was made by Vincent Kramper, seconded by Sally Reinert, to recommend to the Board of Corrections that a contract with NE Nebraska Juvenile Services in Madison be developed.
Discussion: In response to Sally Reinert’s question, Deb Fergen thought Mark Olson, Woodbury County Juvenile Detention Center Director, would want to house Dakota County’s juveniles. Iowa has stricter standards than Nebraska and offer more programs. If they expand, they will want to house our juveniles. We can house out of state long term.
Jackie Hartnett asked if the contract addressed liability. The reason we do not have a current contract with Madison was that Dakota County had to take on all the liability. She asked that the contract by really scrutinized.
Debra Fergen pointed out that per statute changes within the last year, Woodbury can now hold our sentenced non-status offenders. Status offenders would still need to be housed in Madison. There are around 200 juvenile court cases filed each year.
Debra Fergen looked at the contract and noticed that it reads that Dakota County agrees to place all juvenile detainees exclusively with Madison and our first choice would always be Woodbury because it is cheaper. Terry Kern will talk to NE Nebraska Juvenile Services concerning that as he thought we could have more than one contract.
It was noted that the County Attorney should be consulted before a contract was signed.
Roll Call: McLarty- yea; Reinert- yea; Kramper- yea, Giese- yea; Millard- absent. Motion carried.
The new transport van should arrive mid-August. The muffin monster is working great.
Vincent Kramper asked about emergency exits for civilian food workers in the kitchen. Mark Nelson explained there was a call button and exits available.
Chair McLarty adjourned the meeting at 8:10 a.m.
Respectfully submitted, Joan Spencer Secretary, Jail Advisory Committee
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