Sheriff’s office and jail leadership briefed commissioners on jail operations, staff recruitment and service expansions tied to the 2026 budget.

Security and capital: jail administrators said they have completed an upgrade to central control infrastructure (intercoms and door controls) and planned a camera replacement program to extend recording capacity beyond the current two‑week retention. The jail also plans a new camera installation and expects a timeline to be set shortly.

Inmate services: the jail reported a new in‑facility dental office to reduce outside escorts and lower security risk; a Safe House advocate (Zoe Hart) is delivering regular classes for female inmates about toxic relationships and violence; South Central Mental Health (SAC) and other partners are being offered space and a kiosk system to allow inmates to request services. Jail officials said those programs are largely funded through grant or commissary funds and reduce outside transport and costs.

Revenue and staffing: the jail’s housing revenue projection rose in the package (a projected 10.4% increase over the 2025 budget, yielding roughly a $380,000 increase in the line item compared with the prior budget baseline). Jail leadership said federal per‑diem increases and better capture of federal inmates remain important to revenue. On staffing, jail leaders said recruitment and retention are under pressure from higher pay nearby (Sedgwick County increases), and described a proposed starting wage increase for detention staff in the packet to roughly $23.11–$26.55 (figures discussed as range and including decompression), with detailed decompression and final ranges to be determined by the compensation study.

Overtime and turnover: officials reported overtime trending lower as staffing improves but said mandatory overtime and burnout were factors driving past departures. The jail has reorganized several positions (e.g., converting detention officer roles to corporals and establishing a training officer) and said the reorganization contributed to better retention.

Why it matters: public safety and jail operations are a major share of the general fund and capital requests. Commissioners pressed for precise starting wages, decompression mechanics and a departmental implementation plan before approving final budget numbers.

Ending: jail leaders said they would return with the compensation study calculations and more detail on the timing for camera and security upgrades and on revenue assumptions for federal housing per diems.