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Committee hears request to shift nearly $1.26 million to cover jail medical, food costs
Summary
Jackson County staff described rising detention center costs and overcrowding in support of Ordinance 6046, which would appropriate $810,000 from the 2025 health fund, $400,000 from the inmate security fund and transfer $50,000 from the general fund to cover increased medical, medication and food expenses; the committee lacked a quorum and did not vote.
Sean Smith, chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, introduced Ordinance 6046, which would appropriate funds to cover higher medical, medication and food costs at the Jackson County Detention Center: $810,000 from undesignated 2025 health fund balances, $400,000 from the 2025 inmate security fund and a $50,000 transfer from the 2025 general fund.
Diana Knapp, Jackson County Sheriff's Office director of corrections, told the committee the detention population "spiked in January" and remains elevated. Knapp said, "we have 300 more inmates than we had this time last year," and later stated, "This morning's headcount, I think, was 10 38," and that the facility is designed for 640 beds. She described limits on using out‑of‑county beds, noting female inmates are being housed in Benton County and that the county has reciprocity agreements with nearby jurisdictions (named in the transcript as "Clay Platt" and Johnson County, Missouri), but that available beds must be conserved for cases such as inmates related to staff or those who must be separated.
Chair Smith thanked Knapp; no committee questions led to formal action and the ordinance will be considered by the full legislature.
Background and next steps: committee members did not vote because the committee lacked a quorum; the ordinance will advance to the legislature's meeting for further consideration.
