Consultant proposes 90-day study for possible juvenile detention addition at county jail

Consultants from TEGRA told the Yankton County Commission they can perform an initial study — proposed at roughly 90 days, possibly extending to about 120 days — to determine whether and how a juvenile detention unit could be added to the county jail site.

Strasburg, a TEGRA consultant from the Sioux Falls office, said the proposed study would document existing site utilities and constraints, outline a conceptual program (beds, staffing spaces and materials) and produce a contractor-level estimate so commissioners can assess costs before deciding whether to proceed. "You gotta get to a point where you've got the facts so you can make a decision," Strasburg said.

Tyler Klatt of TEGRA said the process would include a small number of commissioner check-ins, public engagement opportunities and an RFP process for architect and contractor services if the county elects to proceed. The consultants recommended developing sufficient conceptual drawings and cost models to compare the capital and ongoing staffing costs of an on-site juvenile unit with the county's current practice of transporting juveniles to regional facilities.

Commissioners did not vote on any contract or study authorization during the meeting; Preston (county staff) is expected to coordinate next steps and bring a formal recommendation or request to the commission at an upcoming meeting.

Why it matters: Adding a local juvenile detention capacity would change how Yankton County handles juvenile arrests and transports and would add long-term staffing and operating costs to the county budget. The TEGRA consultants framed the first phase as a fact-finding and cost-modeling exercise to let the commission decide with concrete estimates rather than preliminary notions.

The board accepted the consultants' presentation as discussion-only and scheduled further consideration after staff follow-up.