Fiscal court approves contract to house Graves County inmates, pending approvals

The Marshall County Fiscal Court voted July 27 to approve and sign a contract with the Graves County Fiscal Court to house Graves County inmates, pending county attorney approval and final approval by Graves County.

A Committee member moved "to approve and sign the contract between the Marsh County fiscal court and the Graves County fiscal court for housing Graves County inmates, pending our county attorney's approval and the Graves County approval." The motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote.

Roger Ford, identified in the meeting as the county jailer, told the court he had "just received a call" and "did get the contract, part of the contract" and cautioned that the full contract had not yet been delivered. Ford said inmates would be moved from Christian County and estimated the sending county had "80 or 85 inmates, I think, right now," a figure officials said would increase Marshall County's jail population quickly once transfers began.

Ford also said negotiations had adjusted the per-diem rate for transported inmates to $34.50. The court discussed transport logistics and coordination with other counties, and the Chair said the county attorney and the Attorney General's office would review uses of any related funds to ensure compliance and prevent repayment obligations.

The approval recorded at the meeting was conditional: the contract is subject to the county attorney's review and final sign-off by Graves County. Officials said they expected transports to begin after those approvals and that additional operational steps, including paperwork and transport planning, would follow.