Douglas County jail asks for nearly $2 million above target to staff mental‑health addition and cover rising medical costs

Douglas County Corrections Director Michael Myers asked the Board of Commissioners on June 9 for $69,640,000 for the department’s FY27 budget, saying the request is about $1,992,079 above the county target and reflects rising medical and staffing costs and a planned mental‑health housing addition.

Myers said "public safety costs have mushroomed to a great extent" in recent years and pointed to two main drivers: increasing personnel costs and a medical contract that rose sharply. He told the board that personnel make up roughly two‑thirds of jail operating costs and that medical and contract services compose much of the remaining third.

The mental‑health addition — four housing units designed for single‑occupancy cells and specialized care — will require a net increase of 10 correctional officer positions (funded for roughly 75% of the year to allow for training lead times) and three sergeant positions (funded at about 50% of the year). Myers provided line‑item estimates: the 10 officers (75% of year) total about $521,352; three sergeants (50% of year) total about $118,840. Together the immediate staffing ask tied to the mental‑health unit is $640,192. Myers said these staffing changes are partly offset by an expectation that the county can close other housing units and reassign some existing posts.

On contracts, Myers said the county’s inmate medical contract is scheduled to increase 5% on Sept. 1, representing about $631,321 in additional cost next year. He also flagged an uncertain food‑service procurement that could require a supplemental request depending on bid results.

Population pressures and overtime: Myers said average daily population (ADP) has climbed from about 1,025 in 2024 to about 1,110 in 2025 and stood at roughly 1,169 on the morning of the meeting, which has forced the department to operate two or three more housing units than in 2024. He argued that funding additional officers can reduce reliance on overtime: after prior staffing increases, overtime expenditures fell by about $1.5 million across recent calendar years despite increases in the hourly cost of overtime.

Commissioner response and follow‑up: Commissioners asked for additional analysis on the overtime savings that would result from filling requested positions and for narrative context on expected revenue offsets if contracts with the City of Omaha or the U.S. Marshals Service are finalized (Myers said potential revenue could total about $11.9 million if agreements are executed). A representative from the League of Women Voters asked whether retirement and healthcare benefit costs were included; Myers said fringe benefits historically are budgeted outside department operating budgets and he did not have precise benefit figures during his presentation.

What happens next: Myers asked the board to consider the FY27 budget request; he said the county will later have to reconcile full‑year operating costs for FY28 once the mental‑health addition is open for a full 12 months. He offered to provide commissioners with more detailed supporting statistics about overtime savings, ROI for pre‑trial programs and revenue projections tied to partner agreements.

Quoted: "Our medical contract will increase 5% beginning September 1st," Myers said, and he described the staffing needs for the addition as "a net increase of 10 correctional officer positions and three sergeant positions." The board followed the presentation with a series of questions and directed staff to provide additional analysis.

Sources: presentation by Michael Myers, Douglas County Department of Corrections, June 9, 2026; public Q&A recorded during the Douglas County Board of Commissioners meeting.