JPs grapple with high cost of rising jail population

FAYETTEVILLE — Cities must pay more to house inmates at the Washington County jail or the county must come up with ways to cover increasing costs, justices of the peace say.

“The jail is something you cannot do without,” said Justice of the Peace Tom Lundstrum, a Republican representing the northwestern part of the county. “The public is going to have to pay for it, really, whether they want to or not.”

Justices of the peace are looking at ways to handle a growing inmate population, a crowded jail and a shortfall in money to cover costs. The quarter-percent sales tax earmarked for the jail is not covering all costs.

About $2 million from the county’s general fund was moved to pay for jail costs last year.

Meanwhile, crowding at the jail is not likely to stop soon, Sheriff Tim Helder told justices of the peace last week.

The 710-bed jail reached its highest daily inmate population of 709 last year, and the region’s population is forecast to continue growing, Helder said. On top of that, Springdale plans to close its jail.

The city jail is the last one in Washington County. The county is state-mandated to house inmates.

Justices of the peace need to make plans, Helder said.

Any option is likely to take a year or more, Helder said. For example, getting a new bond for construction and building an addition to the jail would take at least until the end of 2019, he said. And, a sales tax increase would require a countywide vote, he said.

Voters approved a quarter-percent sales tax to operate the jail in 2002. The tax brought in nearly $10 million last year, online county records show.

Justices of the peace said during the Quorum Court Jail and Law Enforcement committee meeting last week that they need ideas to address the jail’s problems. That includes charging new fees.

Madison County, the state and U.S. Marshal’s Service pay daily holding fees to house inmates at the detention center, Helder said.

Fayetteville pays a onetime booking fee for each person taken to the jail, Helder said. The amount was negotiated between the city and county and increased from $55 to $62 in 2017, sheriff’s office officials said.

Justice of the Peace Harvey Bowman, a Republican representing northern Washington County, brought up the idea to change the fees and asked the sheriff’s office for revenue estimates, Helder and spokesman Kelly Cantrell said.

Bowman proposed replacing Fayetteville’s booking fee with a daily holding fee.

Fayetteville paid $210,800 in booking fees in 2017. The city takes about 3,400 people to the detention center each year, according to Fayetteville city officials.

Changing to a daily holding fee would cost the city about $255,000 a year.

Smaller cities do not pay any fee for the county to hold their prisoners. Fees would cost all the cities thousands. For instance, Prairie Grove would pay $29,000 per year, and Elm Springs $26,400, according to the sheriff’s office projections.