The Tri-County Regional Corrections Board met Friday, February 14, at 9:00 a.m. at the Polk County Justice Center. The minutes from the January meeting were approved, and Executive Director Andrew Larson gave his monthly statistical report to the board for review. “Early in the year, our average daily population is oftentimes really low, and this year was no exception. So, the average daily population for the month of January was 125,” says Larson. “As I pointed out to the board, very early in January, we were in the 110s, and then towards the very end of January, we were in the 140s, and that’s really common.”
Larson says that having a lower population is helpful at times as it allows for some extra housekeeping to be done. “It was really good because it allowed us to close down one of the housing units and let us get some much-needed maintenance work done,” says Larson. “It was a blessing because it not only allowed us to do some upkeep back there but also allowed us to accelerate some training because we don’t have to man all the posts that we would normally have to.”
As of Friday morning, Larson told the board that there were 131 inmates, 51 of whom were per diem, and the others were either local inmates or people being housed for other jurisdictions and waiting to be picked up.
The numbers at the Juvenile Center have been up, and although Larson is never happy with the fact that so many kids need help, it is good to know that the center is staffed and able to house as many as they have. “We have finally been able to keep the Secure Detention side open; it’s the longest we have been open since we re-opened the facility as a whole after the water intrusion event,” says Larson, “We have been open now fully for a little over two months, almost going on three months.” The average daily population at the Juvenile Center for the month of January was just shy of twelve, which Larson says is the fullest they have ever been. He also says that he is very proud of the staff as they have really stepped up, and even though many are still new, they have been doing a great job.
Larson was pleased to be able to tell the board that personnel issues have remained minimal. “On the personnel side, I was happy to report we had a relatively quiet personnel month, and it was actually a couple in a row,” says Larson, “We had a few resignations, and we also had some staff reach their probationary period, that’s a big one; that means they have been here for a year, so things typically get easier for them, and we did have one termination.”
Last year, corrections started looking into their pharmaceutical services contract and went out for RFP. On Friday, Larson brought to the board a recommendation to accept the proposal from Diamond Pharmaceutical after having been with Thrifty White for many years. “We did make a recommendation to the board that Diamond Pharmacy be the pharmaceutical provider for the jail,” says Larson. “It was really based on a couple of things, the number one thing honestly being the ability to interface and fully utilize our electronic health system.” Larson says that interfacing in this way will allow for better automation of medication filling, barcode scanning, and inventory and that there will also be some significant time savings.
Jail Administrator Joey Pederson came to the board today to give an overall update on jail operations and the board was also provided with a report from the 4th Quarter Internal Audit. “Overall, considering everything we faced in 2024, I was pretty happy,” says Larson. “We were at 101% overall expenditures. A couple of areas were higher than anticipated and out of our control, one of them being legal fees with the litigation with the Pierce Lee Roofing from the Juvenile Center.” Larson explained that those fees, loss of revenue from the juvenile center being closed, and having to pay to house juveniles in other facilities were a significant part of being over budget.
The board was asked to approve an increase in the inmate trustee account balance. This account is used to transfer small amounts of money to inmate workers in the jail so they can purchase commissary services. The board approved the increase of $200, making the new amount $500. This is the first increase since 2016.
One contract was brought to the board for approval. The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Contract. “We have a Prison Rape Elimination Act audit, which is due in 2025, so the board approved the contract with Negens Investigative Services,” says Larson. “It’s an organization that we have used for our past three audits, so they have some familiarity with us.”
Larson gave the board some updates on the Governor’s Budget Recommendations and how that could impact corrections. The item that Larson wanted to point out to the board was the governor’s recommendation to eliminate funding for STS programs across the state. “Our STS and Chore Service Program relies on that funding,” says Larson. “A loss of funding could become problematic; it’s just something I wanted the board to be aware of, and we will continue to monitor it.”
After approving January invoices and meeting adjournment, the board was allowed to tour the jail. There are two new board members, so Larson says he likes to ensure everyone knows how the system works and what goes on daily in the jail. Jail Administrator Pederson took the board on a comprehensive tour, including the intake area, holding cells, health services, a few housing units, the adult education program room, and the area where court appearances occur. Since COVID, court appearances have been done by video, and the process has stuck here in Polk County. “Almost all court activity now happens within the jail,” says Larson. “Six years ago, we were bringing inmates from the housing units down to intake; we were cuffing and shackling them and putting them in the elevator and sending them upstairs.” Now, instead and with the help of some grant funds, court appearances have been run from within the jail. Larson says this is beneficial as it doesn’t take as much time and is less staff-intensive. There is a court sergeant whose job is to monitor court proceedings, and the Sheriff’s Department no longer has to have bailiffs in courtrooms all the time.
The tour is good for the board so they can see everything in the jail and what it is about. “Overall, I think the board appreciated it,” says Larson. “I think it’s helpful to get a sense of what the jail is all about.”
