Commission approves intergovernmental agreement to house inmates in Queen Anne’s County despite staff concerns

Kent County commissioners approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) allowing the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center to house Kent County inmates on a long‑term basis, a step county officials said would reduce housing costs and ease staffing pressures at the local detention center.

County staff presented the IGA as a vetted and signed agreement between the two counties; the document was signed by Queen Anne’s County officials and presented for the board’s signature. Sheriff Hickman and corrections staff said the arrangement would allow the county to send inmates to Queen Anne’s County when needed; there is no contractual minimum number that Kent County must send.

Correctional staff voiced concerns. A detention staff member, Corey (detention staff), told the board moving inmates offsite “doesn't alleviate, doesn't help with the daily operation” and warned that transfers increase the workload for a reduced transportation team and force Kent County to add two more transportation officers for court dates. The staff speaker said the facility has been down about five officers and that recent departures (one pretrial officer) had worsened staffing shortages. They said staff felt “left out of the loop” on the planning.

Commissioners and other officials said the IGA could reduce costs because the per‑diem to house inmates externally is cheaper than local operation in some scenarios. Commissioners stressed that no employees would lose their jobs or pensions under the current plan and agreed to monitor the arrangement and reassess if problems emerge.

Action: the board approved the IGA by a split vote; one commissioner explicitly registered opposition citing “too many unanswered questions.” The board directed administrators and corrections leadership to evaluate staffing impacts and return with findings if problems occur.

Why it matters: the IGA affects detention operations, staff workload, county incarceration costs and transportation logistics. County leaders framed the decision as a cost-saving measure given the detention budget and low average population; corrections staff said operational burdens and understaffing could increase if transfers proceed without additional resources.

Next steps: county administrators will evaluate staffing levels and report back; commissioners said they expect to revisit the arrangement if the county or detention staff identify unresolvable problems.