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Courts seek contingency funds as electronic-monitoring costs rise; board approves transfers
Summary
District and circuit courts requested contingency funding to cover electronic-monitoring shortfalls driven by expanded use of Tethr; commissioners approved transfers from contingency to cover an estimated $100,000 in combined shortfalls.
Judicial officials asked the board to cover shortfalls in electronic monitoring costs that arose after higher-than-expected usage of Tethr, a monitoring service the courts use to reduce jail crowding. The district court requested $77,002.86 and the circuit court requested $23,004.64 to cover year-end shortfalls. Finance staff and commissioners discussed whether increases reflected positive program use (reducing jail population) and how to budget for the program going forward.
The CAO and finance staff said the recommended approach is to appropriate funds from the contingency account for 2025 to balance the year. "If you run high, come come see us," a finance official said, noting contingency exists for such adjustments. Commissioners approved the contingency transfers by roll call, and the finance office will move the funds into the appropriate court cost centers for tracking and reporting.
Next steps: The courts will continue to monitor participant payment capacity and program usage; finance staff will adjust 2026 budget entries where appropriate and track actual versus budgeted costs for electronic monitoring.
