In response to changes in state law regarding juvenile detention, Bourbon County Commissioners are looking for a change with its 26-year old contract with the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Crawford County.
Following five consecutive executive sessions June 28, commissioners signed a letter addressed to the facility stating “Bourbon County Commissioners will have no obligation under this interlocal cooperative agreement after Jan. 1, 2020 if changes are not made to the billing system, which include the daily rate and monthly rate to counties in and out of this interlocal program.”
Currently, Bourbon County houses only a handful of juveniles each year at the center, but pays $10,029 per month under the contract. The number of juveniles to be detained in the future will decrease because of changes in state law that strengthens the requirement for detaining a juvenile.
Commissioners said the monthly rate charged by the facility is expected to decrease to the $9,000-range, but no exact figure has been presented to them yet. Commissioners said they also expect the county’s need to house juveniles at the facility to decrease.
Commissioners said the decision to end their participation in the agreement did not come easily.
(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)