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Cass County Council approves action to create nonreverting jail fund
Summary
The Cass County Council advanced Ordinance 2026 01 to establish a nonreverting fund for the county jail that will direct roughly half of outside-housing revenue to a dedicated account for repairs and equipment while the other half remains in the general fund; the council waived the first reading and approved the item on a voice vote.
Councilors moved Wednesday to establish a nonreverting fund for the Cass County Jail under Ordinance 2026 01, approving the measure on a voice vote after waiving the first reading.
A staff member who presented the ordinance said revenue from housing outside offenders and a potential contract with the U.S. Marshals Service has increased receipts for the jail. “Last year, we billed for about $1,100,000 for housing outside offenders. We’re in contract negotiations for housing for the federal government for United States Marshals Service,” the staff member said, describing how the ordinance would split proceeds.
The staff explanation said the proposal would allocate 50% of those receipts back to the county’s general fund for operating expenses and place the remaining 50% into a nonreverting fund earmarked for operational needs, replacement, repairs and equipment upgrades. The presenter framed the proposal as a hedge against unexpected capital needs at the jail: “So this creates a fund to sustain that down in the future,” the staff member said.
Council discussion focused on preserving operational flexibility while ensuring the county had a dedicated stream for one-time capital needs. Members moved to waive the ordinance’s first reading and then voted to approve the item; the chair announced the motion carried by voice vote.
Next steps: The ordinance will proceed according to the council’s normal adoption schedule and implementation details for the new fund will be handled through county finance staff and subsequent administrative action.
