Polk County Commissioners Court — Polk County — Nov. 25, 2025: The county authorized a feasibility study to assess whether parts of its old jail can be brought up to current standards, a step county officials said could be faster and less costly than building a new facility.

The sheriff’s office requested the court authorize DRG Architects to conduct a feasibility study "at a cost not to exceed $20,000" to evaluate what would be required to bring older housing units into compliance with applicable jail standards and to identify funding methods. The sheriff (identified in the transcript as Speaker 2) said restoring existing spaces could allow Polk County to "bring all those inmates back from Louisiana as well as the females that we're keeping over in San Antonio County." The sheriff said retrofitting existing space is likely more feasible than constructing an addition.

The court discussed funding options, including using contingency funds and surplus IH/depository interest revenue, and moved to authorize the study. The motion to appropriate up to $20,000 for the DRG feasibility study was made by Commissioner Robertson and seconded by Commissioner Dubose; the court approved the motion by voice vote.

Why it matters: The county has been housing inmates outside Polk County because of capacity constraints. A feasibility study will identify what structural and code changes are required to bring the older units into compliance with the applicable standards referenced in the meeting and will estimate costs and timelines. The outcome could affect jail-bed capacity, inmate transport costs and county detention budgets.

Details and constraints: The sheriff indicated jail standards changes (referred to in the transcript as jail commission requirements) potentially affect usable square footage and housing configurations; the sheriff said a feasibility study is needed before pursuing larger construction or reconfiguration. Commissioners emphasized the need to avoid straining contingency funds and discussed using IH/depository surplus funds. The court approved the study and instructed staff to identify the funding source.

Ending: The court approved authorization for DRG Architects to perform the feasibility study up to $20,000; next steps include establishing a formal contract with DRG and returning to the court with the study results and funding recommendations.