Because of the rising inmate population, Brown County Jail administration has negotiated a contract with the Comanche County Jail to house overflow inmates to help ease the population and stay in compliance with state jail requirements.  This contract was approved by commissioners at Monday’s meeting of the court.

Brown County Jail Lieutenant Les Karnes requested the interlocal agreement for inmate housing between the Comanche County Jail and the Brown County Jail be approved by commissioners.  He explained that the cost to Brown County would be $35 for basic housing and meals per inmate.

“Becky (Caffey, Brown County Jail Administrator) called and set it up,” explained Karnes.  “It’s basically the same as the other contracts we have had in the past.”

County Judge Ray West clarified that the contract states that “we (Brown County) would be responsible for any damage an inmate causes (at the Comanche facility), that Brown County would indemnify Comanche County from any kind of healthcare problems, we will take care of those.  We are responsible for everything as if they were housed in the Brown County Jail.”

West stated that he and County Attorney Shane Britton had both looked over the contract and approved its content.

Commissioners, at the June 29th meeting of the court, had approved the request for Caffey to explore such transfer contracts with other county jails for housing Brown County overflow inmates, leaving the details as to what population count would be the trigger for transfers to Caffey’s discretion.

In other unrelated items on Monday’s agenda:

*No action was taken regarding a possible burn ban.

*A public hearing was held to discuss a possible 25 mph speed limit on Briarcrest Drive in Early.  According to Precinct 3 Commissioner Wayne Shaw, setting the 25 mph zone would help keep the roadway safer.  Shaw stated that there have been complaints of vehicles speeding down Briarcrest, which he explained was approximately 0.3 miles in length and a dead end road.  Commissioners approved the 25 mph speed limit after no comment was made by the public.

*Commissioners Wayne Shaw of Pct. 3 received approval for equipment purchase of up to $100,000 total.  According to Shaw, an online surplus equipment sale yielded enough funds to pay for the purchase of a bobtail dump truck and a water truck.  Shaw estimated the cost would be $80,000 – $100,000 for both vehicles.

*County Treasurer Ann Krpoun received approval to withdraw from the Texas Association of Counties ACA Reporting and tracking Service Program.  According to Krpoun, the county recently signed up for these services, but had realized that NetData already has the capability to do the required tasks of the other program, such as tracking part time employee hours.  TAC, according to Krpoun, outsources the information to a third party, which she worries will lead to a possible breach of sensitive information, such as employee social security numbers.