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Commission weighs interagency contract to recapture inmate phone funds after FCC ruling
Summary
Following an FCC decision that curtailed the county's retention of inmate phone revenue (roughly six figures cited), commissioners and sheriff's staff discussed an interagency agreement with the Alabama Department of Corrections to secure partial reimbursement for state inmates; staff will draft a municipal‑style contract and reporting regimen for commission approval.
The sheriff and county finance staff briefed commissioners on an FCC ruling that affected how the county could retain inmate phone revenue. The ruling eliminated a longstanding local revenue practice used to fund jail‑related items; staff estimated the impact at about $100,000 in previously retained funds.
Sheriff's office staff and county auditors proposed negotiating an interagency agreement with the Alabama Department of Corrections (DOC) that would enable the county to receive a negotiated daily reimbursement for state inmates housed locally. As discussed in the meeting, the DOC rate example cited was $28 per inmate per day, with the county seeking to receive a portion (the sheriff's office suggested a split that would return roughly half to county jail expenses in the example discussed).
The commission asked staff to work with the county attorney, auditors and sheriff's office to draft the municipal‑style contract and to clarify reporting cadence (the state prefers quarterly reporting, staff said). Commissioners signaled support to place the interagency agreement on the next meeting agenda once legal and reporting details are settled.
No contract was approved at the meeting; staff will return with contract language, a recommended revenue‑sharing formula, and documentation requirements to begin quarterly reporting to the state if the commission approves the approach.
