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Sheriff and detention leaders warn new jail opening will require significant staffing and one‑time costs
Summary
Sheriff's office and detention center leaders told legislators the county faces a near‑term lift to staff and outfit a new detention center, called out deferred facility projects and requested staged hiring, equipment funding and a coordinated decommissioning plan for the old jail.
Captain Rhonda Montgomery and Beth Money of the sheriff’s office updated the county budget committee on hiring progress and needs tied to the forthcoming detention center.
Montgomery said the office expects 12 deputies to be on board by the end of the year but still faces about 10 vacant deputy slots; the recommended 2026 salary budget includes a $1.1 million reduction for 'salary savings' that may not materialize if hiring continues at current momentum. Beth Money said that while some new positions were approved in the county administration’s recommended budget, eight additional positions (including sergeants, deputies and courthouse security officers) remain under discussion and are needed to staff new courtrooms at the detention facility.
Diana Knapp, director of the Jackson County Detention Center, presented a packet detailing staffing and equipment for the new facility. She and correctional transition experts recommended phased staffing increases tied to the direct‑supervision model used in the new jail. Knapp also emphasized the need for a formal decommissioning plan for the old detention center — including physical shutdowns, removal of fixtures and water/electrical safing — and said that public works and administration must coordinate those steps to avoid hazards after the inmate transfer.
Committee members pressed the administration for an inventory and for funding lines to cover transitions that will be one‑time but substantial. County administration’s representative, Steve Arvo, acknowledged the planning gap and said the administration will assemble a broader plan and recommendations for the legislature that bundle the corrections, courts, and sheriff costs associated with the new facility before final budget adoption.
Next steps: Detention leadership will provide detailed line items for staged hires and equipment; administration will compile a comprehensive corrective-cost plan and return to the legislature with recommendations and potential funding strategies.
