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Van Zandt officials weigh reopening jail annex to cut outsourcing and cover medical costs
Summary
Sheriff presented plans to reopen a 24-bed minimum-security wing and eventually convert an evidence area to add 48 beds, saying inmate medical and outsourcing costs are rising; commissioners agreed to budget initial retrofit funds and four jailer positions while asking for firm quotes.
The sheriff told the commissioners the county is paying significant amounts to house inmates outside the county and outlined a plan to reopen a 24-bed minimum-security unit to reduce outsourcing. He estimated four additional jailers would be needed to staff the expanded minimum-security capacity and projected monthly costs of roughly $25,000 for those positions and about $15 per day per extra inmate for food and utilities.
Sheriff and commissioners also discussed a longer-term option to move evidence storage offsite and retrofit the annex to provide 48 additional beds, potentially saving transport and outsourcing costs long-term but requiring secure, climate-controlled evidence storage and sprinkler systems. The court agreed to budget an initial sum for retrofit planning (discussed in the $100,000—$125,000 range), to pre-fund four positions pending completion of the retrofit, and to return with vendor quotes before committing to construction or hiring.
