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File #: 21-6457    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Financial Authorization Status: Passed
File created: 11/16/2021 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 11/30/2021 Final action: 11/30/2021
Title: Request by the Sheriff for approval of $28.7 million in total funding to offset COVID expenditures ($16.5M) and non-COVID overages to operate the jail and jail health ($12.3M).
Department: Sheriff
Department Head/Elected Official: Ed Gonzalez, Sheriff

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA

Type of Request: Financial Authorization

Project ID (if applicable):
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable):
MWDBE Participation (if applicable):

Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by the Sheriff for approval of $28.7 million in total funding to offset COVID expenditures ($16.5M) and non-COVID overages to operate the jail and jail health ($12.3M).
end

Background and Discussion:
Cost breakdown by Department is as follows:
$2.3M Dept. 540 (Sheriff's Office: Patrol & Admin), which includes $1.5M in security costs at the Spring hospital facility where COVID positive inmates have been cared for, and $800k of increased cost due to a COVID-driven vendor price increase for warrants transport services. OMB has advised the $1.5M for Spring Hospital security is likely FEMA reimbursable.

$18.9M Dept. 541 (Sheriff's Office: Detentions), which includes $4M in Overtime cost to backfill for COVID staff out due to COVID, $5.5M in COVID related inmate food cost increases, $654k of COVID related PP&E and safety costs, and $8.8M in labor costs incurred due to overcrowding in the jail and the additional labor hours necessary to provide a safe and secure environment for both inmates and staff.

$7.4M Dept. 542 (Sheriff's Office: Detentions Medical), which includes $3.7M for COVID testing of inmates, $167K in overtime costs to care for COVID positive inmates, $45K for COVID PP&E, and $3.5M in additional labor costs incurred due to the high jail population and challenges in providing medical care for inmates during the pandemic. OMB has advised the $3.7M for inmate COVID testing is likely FEMA reimbursable.

The Spring Hospital security cost is a one-time expense that has been discontinued. It is unclear how long the COVID-related cost increases will persist. The food cost increase in particular is the result of inmates no longer being ab...

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