County officials and a DOCR representative told the Grand Forks County Commission on Aug. 5 that negotiations on a proposed multi-year lease for state inmates at the Grand Forks County Correctional Center are largely complete but that several important contract provisions remain under negotiation. The latest draft sets the proposed count of state-occupied beds at 60 and retains a $100 per-bed-per-day base rate; the agreement term discussed is eight years with an approximate October 1 commencement date, subject to staffing and other operational preparations. Lance Anderson, appearing by Zoom as a DOCR representative, participated in the discussion.

Outstanding issues: County counsel and staff highlighted several unresolved items. County legal counsel said an "escalation clause" that automatically raises the per-bed rate over time is necessary to avoid entrenching a low base rate while costs rise; DOCR officials countered that their budget and appropriations cycle is biennial and they prefer negotiated adjustments tied to their appropriations. The parties also disagreed about liability when inmates damage fixtures in a minimum-security pod that contains porcelain sinks and toilets not built for heavy vandalism: the county wants clear responsibility and/or reimbursement; DOCR sought to place more of the loss-recovery burden on inmates or inmate accounts. Transportation and off-site medical care were also debated: county sheriffs cautioned that long hospital stays can require officers to be posted off-site for many hours, creating overtime and staffing burdens, and proposed a threshold (12 hours) for billing DOCR for extended transports; DOCR said some language was unclear and needs revision.

Other contract features: The draft assigns day‑to‑day medical care responsibility for on-site needs to the county while off-site medical costs can be treated under separate provisions; the county will provide three office workspaces for DOCR staff in Pod 4 and DOCR will pay for any necessary remodeling; DOCR asked to be able to place inmates into the pod and retain discretion over placement but the county retained the right to request removal of individual inmates. The contract contains standard termination provisions allowing either party to end the agreement if funding is not appropriated.

Why it matters: If finalized, the agreement would add state inmates to the county’s correctional center population and provide revenue to the county at the negotiated per-bed rate, while also shifting operational issues — including medical, transport and property damage — into formal contract terms. County officials said the draft is close to completion and further edits will be sought on the escalation clause, damage-recovery language and transport billing.

What’s next: County staff said they will continue negotiations with DOCR and that DOCR representatives will supply clarifying language responding to county edits. Commissioners emphasized they want tighter language on release plans and on who bears the cost when fixtures in the minimum-security pod are damaged; county staff said those items will receive additional drafting and review.

Ending: Both sides described the draft as close to finished; county staff will return to the commission with any substantive changes for final approval before signature.