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Minnehaha County delays UC3 jail expansion; officials outline phased beds and staffing triggers
Summary
Warden Mike Mattson said the UC3 (Unit Control 3) jail expansion is being delayed until occupancy metrics warrant opening; the phased plan would add 148 beds overall and requires additional corrections staff in staged increments, with the first phase adding 52 beds and roughly 12 corrections officers and 2 corporals.
Minnehaha County jail leaders said the county is holding off on a full UC3 expansion until population and occupancy trends make it necessary, outlining phased capacity and staffing plans that commissioners said they want to monitor closely.
‘‘UC 3 is Unit Control 3,’’ Mike Mattson, warden of the jail, said, describing UC3 as a vacant floor that can be opened in phases. ‘‘Our mission or frame of thought with this expansion is we wanna delay it until it's absolutely necessary.’’
Staff described a phased plan: the first phase would add about 52 beds and require 12 corrections officers plus two corporals; subsequent phases would bring capacity to 100 beds and then to full occupancy for a total of 148 beds. Earlier budget slides included UC3 expansion costs incorporated across the five-year forecast (staff cited about $4.5 million in construction cost across phases and roughly 35 additional FTEs tied to the multi-phase plan).
Trigger and timing: Mattson said the jail aims to operate at about 85% of capacity (85% of 603 is roughly 515) as a guideline to determine when expansion is needed; county occupancy has trended, he said, and staff would delay hiring and expansion as long as trends permit. The warden noted the county hopes to avoid filling new UC3 positions immediately and could delay hiring until January 2027 while training in advance if needed.
Budget implications: commissioners and staff noted the five-year forecast includes layered opt-outs and a placeholder of $750,000 a year for new positions; staff said UC3-related personnel were budgeted for a half-year in 2026 where applicable. No decision to open UC3 was made; commissioners requested continued monitoring of occupancy and staffing needs and asked staff to return with additional timing and cost detail in future budget sessions.
Outcome: staff left UC3 in the long-range forecast but emphasized the phased, demand-driven approach and the need for lead time to recruit and train corrections staff before opening new capacity.
