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Cass County reports jail construction on schedule; staffing push underway
Summary
County and contractor updates indicated the jail pod expansion is nearing completion in spring, with training academies and hiring underway to staff the new beds; the county anticipates operating cost increases tied to additional positions.
County staff and project contractors told the commission the jail pod expansion project is on track for interior completion in spring and that county corrections hiring has ramped up to meet staffing needs.
Danielle (Klein McCarthy, project architect) and representatives from Meineke Johnson, the construction manager, reported exterior work is complete, masonry and interior finishes are progressing, and the team expects project completion around May 12, with staff training and inspections to follow. The construction team said contingency spending has been low to date (reported as 1.2% of the project contingency used) and that moving inmates into the new pod could begin in early June after final training.
Captain Froebig (project/jail operations) and the sheriff’s office described staffing progress: a classroom academy in its third week includes 11 new hires; about 10–12 additional candidates were in background checks for a March academy cohort; the jail is actively recruiting and reported about 51 correctional officer applications since Jan. 1, 2025. The sheriff said the department is currently short six correctional officers when accounting for expected future transfers from patrol to jail duties.
County staff reiterated the commission’s earlier direction to hire for the expansion and said the inaugural year operating gap was budgeted to be absorbed by uncommitted general funds so that the expansion’s first‑year costs would not be included in a base year calculation described in draft state legislation. Sheriff John and Captain Froebig emphasized that recruitment improvements — including higher starting pay and step compression approved with the county’s budget — have materially increased application numbers.
Separately, the commission approved a one‑year extension of the jail food‑service contract that includes a requested 5% price increase (motion approved by roll call). The contract increase moves the per‑meal rate cited in the discussion from $1.83 to $1.92 based on the current head count and anticipated additional meals as the pod opens.
Ending: County staff said they will schedule open‑house opportunities for media and the public before the pod goes into operation and will continue recruiting and academy scheduling to staff the new beds.
