Lake County Commission approves agreement for juvenile detention services

Lake County Commissioners approved the county’s annual agreement for juvenile detention services during their meeting Tuesday.  

Commission Administrative Officer Shelli Gust told commissioners that the 2023 agreement for juvenile detention services is between the county, Minnehaha County, and Lutheran Social Services.  She said that the cost per day for the services increased by more than eight-percent to just more than 278-dollars a day.  Gust said that it’s hard to know what each year will bring, but this year the number of beds utilized by Lake County juveniles is up.

Gust also told commissioners that Minnehaha County has indicated that the Juvenile Detention Center building is in need of attention and they are looking at either renovation or new construction.  Commissioners agreed to send a letter of support to the Minnehaha County Board of Commissioners, supporting the idea of moving to a flat fee for bed days used at the facility if a new one needs to be built.  In the letter it states that any change to a flat fee wouldn’t occur until new housing units are open, which is anticipated to be in a couple of years. 

 

December 7, 2022