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Chisago County will add 14 bedspaces to the county jail under special dispensation from the state, in an attempt to curb an over-budget incarceration line item. Sheriff Todd Rivard, his chief deputy and jail administrator presented this short-term solution as part of a multi-faceted approach to dealing with a shortage of jail space. Chisago County may have at any given time 40 to 50 inmates being housed outside of the county, due to capacity issues in the county jail in Center City.

Rivard said the department will also utilize Polk County, Wisconsin jail space when possible and continue to lay plans for construction of a new Chisago County jail or justice center.

According to Sheriff Rivard the state corrections inspection and enforcement unit recently notified the county that it is authorized for adding beds at Center City, as long as the county makes strides toward a new or expanded facility.

The extra beds come at a cost, but the county commissioners heard last week that this money will be spent one way or the other-- either buying inmate space elsewhere or in staffing and equipping the extra 14 beds.

To boost staff by five positions and buy materials to add the beds the county expects to spend $310,030. The year’s budget for boarding-out was set at $325,000, but expectations were the line item will be more than double that amount. Any money in this line item remaining when the extra beds go on-line will be diverted and fund balances will probably be spent down to accomplish this project.

County Administrator John Moosey remarked, “I would say you do this immediately,” when commissioners asked him for his thoughts.

Moosey explained the sooner the anticipated overage in the budget is nipped-in-the-bud the better, and the expenditure is not going to be black hole. Jail Administrator Captain Brandon Thyen pointed out the new hires will be trained and ready to transition into a new, larger facility when it’s built.

County Board Chair Mike Robinson observed, “Overall this is a good deal.”

As for the Wisconsin arrangement, only inmates who voluntarily waive extradition (to cross borders to be detained) can be held and under Wisconsin statutes, boardees have to be “sentenced” persons. That means people awaiting charges or bailing out soon won’t be transported there.

Meanwhile, the jail or justice center planner advertisement is out and interested applicants are being interviewed. It is the goal to have a planner contracted to help with pursuing a new facility beginning next month. The planner will assist the county in locating and designing a suitable facility.

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