Bureau County Board votes no to accept Cook County jail inmates

Bureau County will not enter into an agreement to house Cook County inmates at its jail.

The County Board voted 11-6 on Tuesday against entering into the agreement, gaining an applause from a crowd of about three dozen people who filled the gallery of the meeting chambers.

Voting against the agreement were Dale Anderson, R-Tiskilwa; August Block, R; Keith Cain, R-Princeton; Jason Floyd, R-Sheffield; Sandy Hoos, R-Seatonville; Marsha Lilley, R-Princeton; Lizabeth Novotny, R-Princeton; Kerwin Paris, R-La Moille; Kristi Warren, Derek Whited, R-Princeton; and Marshann Entwhistle, R-Princeton.

Voting in favor of it were Dave Argubright, D-Spring Valley; John Baracani, D-Spring Valley; Tom Dobrich, D-DePue; Deb Freeney, D-Dalzell; Mary Jane Marini, D-Spring Valley; and Robert McCook, D-Cherry.

In the agreement recommended by a 3-1 vote from the Technology, Building and Grounds Committee, Bureau County would house up to 10 inmates at $70 per inmate, per day. There would be no in-person visits and inmates would need to be returned to Cook County at the time of their release.

Bureau County Sheriff Jim Reed was not present for Tuesday’s vote. The sheriff had advocated for entering into the agreement, saying it would generate more than $237,000 a year in revenue. He said he would divert those funds to step up patrols in communities without full-time police forces, with the goal of adding two deputies.

He also said the county negotiated a food service contract based on an average daily population of 25 and medical services for 27. Last year, however, the average headcount was 11. Cook County transfers would give taxpayers better value for their money, he has said.

Bureau County would be able to turn down or send back any inmate transfer that wasn’t working out, Reed had said.

The agreement remained unpopular with the public. Paris said he received more than 25 phone calls and received five letters and of those communications, just one were in favor of the agreement, he said.

“This topic has produced more calls than we’ve ever had combined,” Paris said.

Paris questioned the reason Cook County is sending inmates to Bureau County. Cook County has said its jail is overcrowded, also citing safety and security concerns. Paris said he was surprised to see the county can hold 11,000 inmates, but its current population is 5,713.

“I don’t think they’re at the maximum capacity for the jail,” Paris said.

He said the daily average cost to house an inmate in Cook County is $145 and that the intergovernmental agreement with Bureau County would be for $70 per inmate.

“That’s saving Cook County $75 per inmate, so it makes sense for them to send them out to outlying counties,” Paris said.

Paris said a La Salle County official spoke to him, acknowledging Cook County is transferring inmates to save money, but that official also noted La Salle County was gaining revenue, so they didn’t see it as a big deal. Neighboring La Salle County has an intergovernmental agreement to accept Cook County jail inmate transfers. Jason Edgcomb, superintendent of La Salle County Jail, said intergovernmental agreements with Cook County alone bring in about $15,000 a month.

After Tuesday’s vote was taken, Hoos asked if the Law Memorials & Rules Committee could look at drafting something where the County Board could forbid Reed from accepting Cook County inmates. In response to Hoos, Whited said Reed told a committee only in the event of an emergency, the county jail still may accept Cook County inmates, despite the County Board voting down the agreement. Some county board members then asked what defined an emergency, but the discussion was put on hold until a committee can examine it.