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Young County OKs short-term inmate housing deal with Liberty County, with medical-billing amendment to follow
Summary
The Young County Commissioners Court approved a contract to house Liberty County inmates at $75 per day, pending an addendum to clarify reimbursement and indigent medical rates; the sheriff and auditor will draft the amendment and the agreement can be terminated at any time.
The Young County Commissioners Court voted to accept a proposed inmate-housing agreement with Liberty County that would pay Young County $75 per inmate per day, with the court directing the sheriff and auditor to negotiate an addendum clarifying medical-billing and indigent-rate responsibilities.
The action matters because it sends inmates from a neighboring county to Young County’s jail and establishes payment terms; commissioners said the deal is likely short term while Liberty County’s jail is out of service and could bring additional inmates and revenue to the county.
County leadership described the agreement at the meeting. The county judge summarized the proposal as "The deal that they're discussing is 75 per day, rate." Commissioners and staff discussed capacity and revenue: the sheriff and others said Liberty County would send about 30 inmates, roughly 10 more than another recent contract, and that prior housing contracts with Bell County generated substantial revenue. Commissioner Cresswell said the county "brought in with Bell County 450,000 and 250,000 as it was profit," characterizing those amounts as the prior contract's receipts and profit.
Commissioners raised operational and legal concerns during debate. They asked that the contract include an explicit process for medical expenses: the auditor and sheriff will seek an amendment so medical costs for Liberty County prisoners are billed to Young County and then reimbursed by Liberty County. The judge read a provision designating that Liberty County will provide paperwork before any prisoner released by Young County and noted a clause stating that "upon request by Young County Sheriff, Liberty County will immediately remove the all prisoners in jail to the Young County Jail," which commissioners interpreted to mean Young County may end the arrangement at any time.
The court made a motion to accept the housing agreement with the understanding that the auditor and sheriff would work on an amendment to "nail down the indigent medical rates that they'll pay." Commissioner Wylie moved the motion; Commissioner Craig seconded it. Discussion concluded without further amendment and the court proceeded to the next agenda item.
Commissioners and staff emphasized operational risks: jail staff noted additional workload and security risks from bringing in inmates from another jurisdiction, and commissioners said termination authority would be used if problems arise. Several commissioners stressed the need for the written addendum before prolonged transfer of inmates.
The court did not provide a final dollar-amount amendment at the meeting; the auditor and sheriff were assigned to draft the supplemental agreement and return it to the court for review.
