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Santa Fe council renews inmate confinement agreement with county, approves $600,000 budget amendment
Summary
The City Council approved a four-year inmate confinement agreement with Santa Fe County and a $600,000 budget amendment to the detention center fund to cover higher daily rates and additional services, including mental-health support provided by the county.
The Santa Fe City Council on Tuesday approved a four-year agreement with Santa Fe County to confine the city’s inmates at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility and adopted a $600,000 budget amendment to the detention center fund.
Deputy Chief Ben Valdez told the council the city does not maintain its own correctional facility and has relied on the county for confinement. "We don't maintain our own, correctional facilities, so we have been doing this for quite some time," Valdez said, adding the county has increased its daily rate and is providing additional services, including mental-health support.
The council approved the agreement by roll call vote after a brief staff presentation and questions. Mayor Weber called the motion and the clerk’s roll call showed the council’s support. The budget amendment will use prior-year gross receipts tax revenue to cover increased confinement costs in the detention center fund.
Nut graf: Councilors said they wanted to ensure continuity of confinement services while acknowledging a potential for further cost changes next year. Valdez told council members the county’s enhanced services were “a welcome relief” but flagged that future price adjustments were possible and would be returned to the council if needed.
City staff described the measure as a routine renewal of an intergovernmental services contract prompted by rising costs for detaining city arrestees and by added county-provided services. Councilors asked for clarity about cost-driving factors and were told non-salary operating costs and additional mental-health and other in-custody services have raised the daily rate compared with previous years.
The council voted to approve the agreement and to amend the detention center budget by $600,000 using prior-year gross receipts tax revenue. Mayor Weber declared the motion passed after the roll call.
Ending: Council members noted the city will monitor any future increases and return to the governing body should additional funding be required. The agreement and budget amendment take effect according to the terms read into the record at the meeting.
