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Mower County sending more inmates to Steele, Goodhue
County terminates contract with Freeborn
Published Wednesday, September 23, 2009
With Freeborn County taking federal inmates as a result of a recent agreement, Mower County has had to look elsewhere when boarding their own inmates.
Local officials have once again turned to Steele County and have sent more inmates to Goodhue County as well, Sheriff Terese Amazi and county coordinator Craig Oscarson said.
This coming after Freeborn County said in July that they would no longer take Mower County inmates.
On Tuesday, the Mower County board officially terminated their end of a contract with Freeborn.
Boarding costs will likely increase as a result because inmates will have to be transported farther, Amazi and Oscarson said.
The county’s boarding budget is approximately $800,000, Amazi said.
The county had been shipping out inmates for a number of years because of overcrowding, but a November 2007 decision by state correction officials to make the local jail a short-term lock up facility has only increased the need.
Because of that decision, the Mower County jail can only hold inmates for a maximum of 90 days — not three years as before.
Most inmates will still be sent to Mitchell County, Iowa, where about 18 are held at any given time, the sheriff said.
The deal with Steele County was in the works before Freeborn’s decision, Amazi said, and is a return to an agreement that was in place before Mower County turned to Freeborn — and away from Steele — several years ago.
Freeborn decided to end their deal with Mower County because of an agreement they made with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March, which will bring up to 80 federal inmates facing deportation to the jail at any given time.
The first 10 arrived in Albert Lea in June.
It will boost the number of inmates in the jail toward its 122-person capacity and provide Freeborn County a reimbursement of about $77 per day per detainee held in the facility.
The Freeborn County jail will also act as a hub serving ICE for southern Minnesota, northern Iowa and surrounding areas as needed.
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Comments
Posted by Rhino (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So... even after the jail gets built we will be shipping inmates to mitchell county???
Posted by sherwood22 (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Rhino. Ah no this is why the Jail/Justice Center is being built at this current time. The price tag just went up to transport the prisoners and it wasn't noted the price per day steele is going to charge which might be more than what freeborn was charging. The new Jail in Austin will hold 122 which is where these other Jails are at and are obviousley making money.
Posted by Rhino (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Because of that decision, the Mower County jail can only hold inmates for a maximum of 90 days — not three years as before.
Most inmates will still be sent to Mitchell County, Iowa, where about 18 are held at any given time, the sheriff said.
Why are we building this again???
Posted by dirtyduster (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 11:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe that after the new jail is open austin goes back to a 3 year hold.....And from what i heard ,at that point all inmates will be housed here.
Posted by AnonymousCitizen (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 12:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So basically, we are spending 30 million to save $800,000? Ah ok, makes sense to me.
Posted by Seymour (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 12:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why did the State Dept of Corrections make the current Austin jail a 90-day facility?
Was it something to do with the structure or security of the current facility?
Was this something that we could have appealed or objected to?
Posted by leftthehatebehind (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 5:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Three years? I always was told one year max in county jail, otherwise prison for sentences longer than one year. I wonder if it is a typo?
Posted by Littletoad (anonymous) on September 23, 2009 at 9:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Seymour.....it's my understanding that the current structure didn't have a basketball court or something.....LOL
Posted by austinmn55912 (anonymous) on September 24, 2009 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lots of counties have built new jails to meet the new state regs, whatever they are. I do wonder how much effort any of these counties put into lobbying our legislators to put a stop to these ever changing regulations.
I think the county officials like the new digs. I think they have a br'er rabbit type relationship with the state regulators, these new county jails popping up all over are the briar patches.
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