Washington County jail takeover approved by county, now up for city council action

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Washington County Commissioners during a special meeting Friday morning passed an agreement which will allow the county to take over jail operations for the City of Bartlesville.

The item will be up for action during the regular city council meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in the council chambers at City Hall.

According to Sheriff Rick Silver, county and city officials produced the agreement as a way resolve a city jail staffing shortage that arose recently after three city jailers left the city jail for county employment, leaving only two jailers to staff the city's jail operation.

Pending its approval by city council, the agreement will allow the county to hire the two remaining city jailers. The city would then cease its jail operations and pay the county at a flat rate of $375 per day, giving the county the money to hire the two existing city jailers.

The amount will be paid to the county in monthly installments of $11,407.

The agreement requires the city to maintain the city jail facilities in case the county must use them. The county will provide jail staffing in such a case.

The measure died earlier in this week on Monday when Silver presented the agreement to Washington County Board of Commissioners. County Commissioner Linda Herndon moved for approval, but Commissioner Gary Deckard did not second the motion. Earlier in the meeting, he voiced concerns that not enough money existed in the budget to pay for shelter prisoners should overcrowding occur.

The agreement adopted Friday addressed this concern by increasing the amount the city would pay from daily $350 to $375.

The agreement also has built into it 30 day termination clause with either the city or county can invoke if necessary.