Springfield approves deal to house inmates in other counties

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Springfield City Council has approved deals with two counties over housing the city's inmates.

The Springfield News- Leader reported nearly a year after Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott essentially closed the county jail to offenders arrested on municipal warrants, the City Council voted Monday to use up to $500,000 in budget carry-over funds on housing those people in Miller and Taney counties.

Three bills to appropriate funds and authorize two agreements all were passed unanimously.

The Miller County deal would include transporting the inmates and would cost the city $38 per inmate each day. City Councilman Ken McClure said transportation was key to getting a deal with the county.

Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams said Miller County would provide transportation only during daytime hours on weekdays. He also said he likely wouldn't send his officers two hours away to transport a detainee.

The Taney County agreement would be for $45 a day per inmate and wouldn't include transportation. But the Springfield police would be pulled off patrol duty to take inmates to the jail in Forsyth, which is a 45-minute drive away.

The Taney County agreement includes a feature the city won't be charged if an inmate is held for less than 24 hours.

Williams began looking into options with other counties in November and said he feels he has two agreements that will serve as a good short-term solution.

Many praised Williams and other staff for finding a short-term solution to the issue.

"I feel a sense of relief," Councilman Craig Fishel said. "We will be able to lock people up now."