Pittsburg County approves MOU with Chickasaw Nation to house tribal inmates at $65 per day

The Pittsburg County Board of County Commissioners on March 30 approved a memorandum of understanding with the Chickasaw Nation that establishes terms for housing tribal inmates in the county jail.

The agreement sets a housing rate of $65.00 per inmate per day, county officials said during the meeting. "The memorandum will increase the inmate housing to $65.00 a day per inmate," Pittsburg County Sheriff Frankie McClendon told the board before commissioners voted to approve the MOU.

The MOU, included in the meeting packet and signed by county and Chickasaw Nation officials, spells out operational responsibilities: the Chickasaw Nation will deliver tribal prisoners to the county facility and handle transport to and from Chickasaw Nation court hearings when those hearings are designated "in person." The county will intake and process prisoners, provide food, shelter and supervision, and maintain medical and detention records for the Nation's access.

The agreement also includes a provision for four guaranteed beds reserved exclusively for Chickasaw Nation use; the MOU charges $85 per day, per guaranteed bed, regardless of whether the bed is occupied. It requires the Chickasaw Nation to reimburse the county for physical damage to jail property caused by tribal prisoners and to provide documentation for any damage claims.

Commissioner Ross Selman moved to approve the MOU; Commissioner Mike Haynes seconded the motion. The vote was recorded as: Ross Selman — aye; Mike Haynes — aye; Charlie Rogers — aye. The motion carried unanimously.

County officials said the MOU includes procedures for virtual arraignments, medical coordination with Indian Health Service and tribal health providers when feasible, and record-sharing protocols (book-in scans and medical data) to facilitate continuity of care. The signed MOU also obligates the Chickasaw Nation to take custody of bail paperwork and to arrange transport of tribal prisoners to other facilities, including federal facilities, when necessary.

The commissioners did not identify a start date for housing under the agreement during the public record, but the document requires annual renewals unless either party provides written notice before renewal. The county clerk was listed as the attesting official on the executed copy of the agreement.