Polk County moves to ease jail strain: transfers, contracts and procurement approved
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Summary
The commissioners approved interlocal inmate housing, advertised a new commissary RFP, authorized jail-related maintenance contracts and approved several capital purchases tied to jail operations as county works to return inmates from out‑of‑county housing.
Polk County Commissioners Court took multiple actions on Oct. 14 aimed at easing jail crowding and maintaining jail systems, approving an interlocal housing agreement with San Jacinto County, authorizing an RFP for retail banking/commissary services and approving maintenance and capital purchases tied to jail operations.
The court ratified an emergency transfer and approved a proposed interlocal cooperation agreement with San Jacinto County to house female Polk County inmates after county jail capacity fell short of needs. County staff said the sheriff requested transfers to remain in compliance with jail standards; San Jacinto County agreed to accept Polk County inmates at $65 per day. The court approved placing the agreement on the agenda and authorized the transfer method of funding, noting that no FY 2026 line had been budgeted for housing inmates and that the court might authorize use of the general fund balance or other methods to cover costs.
The court ratified the advertisement of request for proposals (RFP) No. 2026-12 for jail resident banking software and commissary services. County staff said the existing commissary agreement would expire in October 2025 and that the RFP packet was released on Sept. 30 with proposals due Oct. 22.
On jail systems maintenance and capital, commissioners approved a maintenance agreement with Montgomery Technology Solutions LLC for the jail’s door and access control systems with an annual fee of $35,460. The court also approved a small capital purchase for a reach‑in refrigerator for the Polk County Jail not to exceed $5,554; staff noted the item was included in the FY 2026 capital projections.
Earlier in the meeting, the sheriff’s office delivered an informational report on calls for service, staffing and occupational strain among deputies, describing the weight of duty equipment, the number of critical incidents officers experience over careers and vacancies that the department had recently filled. The sheriff’s office thanked the court for recent pay raises that helped reduce vacancies in dispatch and the jail.
The court voted to move inmates back from out‑of‑state placement over time as positions were filled; staff reported female inmate counts and bed shortfalls during the discussion.
All motions in the package were approved by voice vote and recorded in the minutes as "motion carries."
