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Jail overcrowding puts Potter County on inspector’s radar; court debates consultant vs. architect
Summary
Sheriff Thomas reported the jail at 595 inmates and said the recent inspection found the facility noncompliant; county staff outlined a corrective path (e.g., 80% target occupancy and out‑of‑county transfers) while commissioners debated whether to hire a consultant or an architect to determine long‑term capacity and cost estimates.
Sheriff Thomas told the court the jail population totaled 595 this morning and that the jail was found noncompliant in the most recent inspection. "We did not pass our jail inspection...We didn't even get a technical advisory. We got non compliant," he said, adding that the county must respond to the jail commission within 30 days with corrective measures.
County staff outlined that the court intends to manage capacity by setting an 80% operational threshold and sending inmates to other counties once that threshold is reached; staff warned that farmed‑out beds are competitive and that sustained overcrowding could force bed reductions by the state. Commissioners engaged in a lengthy debate over whether to fund a consultant (which some said would cost more and take longer) or proceed with an architect‑led phased design, with multiple speakers advising the court to collect more data, hear from the architect, and invite the jail inspector and director to a future meeting before committing to a capital expansion. No vote was taken on a specific bed count or capital spending; the court asked staff to bring additional data and arrange a briefing.
