Jackson County supervisors hear jail operations update, warn food and utilities budgets may need adjustment

Jackson County supervisors heard an operational update Tuesday about the county jail’s occupancy, revenue from housing other counties’ inmates and emerging budget pressures. Andrew Long, a staff member with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, reported the jail had 38 inmates on the morning of Sept. 2 — 30 men and 8 women — and that the facility had recorded a one‑day high of 47 and an average daily population of 40.77 in August. Sheriff Kilburg attended the update.

The update mattered because the jail has started generating substantial revenue by housing inmates from Scott County. Long said Scott County payments totaled $50,710 for August and that the sheriff’s office has collected $98,045 for the July–August portion of the fiscal year; the facility’s lifetime receipts recorded in the presentation were $258,755, with $132,660 deposited to date. Those receipts, supervisors said, create an opportunity to offset operational costs but also require clear bookkeeping.

Supervisors emphasized immediate budget pressures. Long told the board the jail is “pretty significantly through our food budget” for the fiscal year after serving 3,119 meals in August and that weekly food spending was “in the ballpark of $3,000 to $4,000.” He said the facility plans food orders assuming 40 inmates to accommodate intermittent transfers in from Scott County, which increases spoilage and line‑item variability. Board Chair Don Swinker and Supervisor Mike Steinitz discussed options for using revenue from housing to reimburse food costs and cautioned that auditors will expect the full revenue to be reported and then expensed appropriately.

Supervisors also raised utilities and staffing as areas to watch. Long said utilities are already “significantly over” in the current budget; the board asked staff to schedule a work session so supervisors and jail administrators can review line items and prepare changes ahead of the next budget cycle. Long told the board a commercial refrigerator had been ordered and paid for but had not yet been delivered, and he described vendor billing practices that delayed procurement until payment was received.

On staffing, the board discussed the jail’s 12 PRN (as‑needed) positions. Supervisors said PRNs receive training and uniforms but have no guaranteed hours, which reduces recruitment and retention. Swinker proposed either setting a minimum hours requirement for PRNs or transitioning some PRN slots to part‑time or full‑time positions to secure workforce stability; supervisors asked staff to analyze options for the budget work session.

The update included operational metrics and positive external feedback: Long noted 68 bookings in August and cited compliments from an Iowa DNR sergeant and a regional police chief about jail staff professionalism. The board did not take a formal vote on policy changes; supervisors directed staff to prepare budget numbers and to set a work session to evaluate food, utilities and staffing before next year’s budget inputs are finalized.