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Commissioners told Cornerstone juvenile contract rose about $397,000; board weighs bids and provider options
Summary
Chair read a May 21 Cornerstone letter showing the juvenile detention provider's proposed annual contract at roughly $2.38 million, an increase of about $396,905; commissioners discussed competitive options, provider scarcity and whether to solicit bids or retain the provider to avoid higher in‑house payroll costs.
During the June 17 budget work session, the Chair read a Cornerstone letter (May 21) that updated the county on the juvenile detention contract. “Cornerstone sent us this nice letter, May 21, closing annual contract of 2,381,429, a 396,905 increase,” the Chair said while introducing the item.
The clerk said she had received an email from Sheriff Harland notifying staff of an approximately $400,000 increase and that she had not had the letter at book preparation time. Commissioners acknowledged Cornerstone's role as a specialized provider and debated whether to put the service out for bids each year despite there being “not a lot of qualified service providers” in the market.
Some commissioners said contracting with Cornerstone is likely still more cost‑effective than staffing an in‑county detention operation, citing higher payroll costs for the sheriff's office if done internally. Other commissioners urged the administration to solicit bids where feasible and to require local providers to be considered when possible.
The commission did not take a final vote to accept or reject Cornerstone's proposed increase during this session; instead they asked staff and the county attorney to review the communication, confirm details, and return with options and cost comparisons.
Next steps: clerk and legal staff will follow up with the sheriff's office and Cornerstone to verify the exact contract request, clarify whether any increases are reimbursable, and present options (competitive solicitation vs. sole source retention) at a future meeting.
