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Court authorizes sheriff to secure jail TV service; funding to come from sheriff budget/commissary pending ratification
Summary
With the jail’s Optimum service set to end, the court authorized the sheriff to contract for DIRECTV or another system to restore inmate TV service, directing funding from the sheriff’s budget and commissary fund and agreeing to ratify the contract at a future meeting.
The Coryell County Commissioners Court authorized the sheriff to proceed with contracting for DIRECTV (or an alternate system) to restore television service at the county jail after the incumbent provider notified the county it would discontinue service. The judge framed a motion giving the sheriff authority to enter a contract immediately, with the county to ratify that contract at the next court date.
The sheriff explained Optimum would stop service and described a DIRECTV proposal that lists an upfront installation cost (shown in the proposal as $19,005.88) and a per-unit monthly charge (presented in the discussion as $9.83 per unit). He warned that the jail’s existing coaxial cabling is degraded and that installation may require replacing wiring and adding a rack system. “If you take away TV from these inmates, they're gonna start fighting,” the sheriff said, arguing that uninterrupted entertainment can reduce damage costs to the facility.
Commissioners debated funding sources: the capital improvement fund was reported to be 114% expended and not available without reimbursements; options included financing the installation, charging the jail’s repair/maintenance budget, or using the commissary (inmate trust) fund where permitted. Legal constraints on using commissary funds for contracting were discussed; several commissioners said the commissary fund could legally pay for items that improve inmate health, safety or security but cautioned about contracting and reimbursement procedures. Given the timing, Commissioner Weddle moved to authorize the sheriff to move forward and enter a contract to be ratified later; Commissioner Matthews seconded and the motion carried on a voice vote.
