Commissioners OK system to pay for GPS monitoring as condition for release from jail

Hays County could soon pay for those arrested to be released from the county jail and given a GPS monitoring device.

The Hays County Commissioners Court approved the establishment of a payment system by the county for GPS monitoring as a condition of bonded release from the Hays County Jail.

“This is just an issue that we’ve talked about for a while in the context of pretrial services,” Commissioners Lon Shell said. “It’s something we’d like to get going in the event that a judge orders a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet that there is a way we have funds in pretrial that can be used for that.”

According to the county, an “ankle monitor” program has not been commonly utilized in Hays County because of the cost associated with monitoring. But the agenda document states that in situations where the person arrested would otherwise remain in the county jail, it would be fiscally prudent to facilitate an “ankle monitor” order from the magistrate by offering to pay for use of the deceive in lieu of absorbing the costs of incarceration.

Hays County General Counsel Mark Kennedy said he’s been in talks with judges in the county to calibrate  how the program would work.

“Something I have emphasized with the judges that I have discussed this with and I will continue to do so is that this program is meant to accommodate release from the facility when it could not otherwise be achieved,” Kennedy said. “In other words, this is the one thing extra that can be done to have some released. It should not be construed as a program where monitors are being used on people that would’ve been released anyway …  A judge gets to decide this, there’s not a written standard.”

County Judge Ruben Becerra said he was happy to see the court take up the item as it could help with the current inmate population.

Becerra later provided an update regarding the county jail’s inmate population. According to the weekly report from the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, the average daily number of Hays County inmates was 693, with a peak of 702 on June 27. A daily average of 195 male inmates and 52 female inmates were outsourced that week for a total cost of $120,580. The inmates were outsourced to Atascosa, Blanco, Comal, Fort Bend, Lee, Maverick and Red River counties.

The Hays County Jail has a maximum capacity of 410 inmates. Texas Jail Standards, however, recommends that jails keep 10 percent of its capacity available, leaving the jail with a current capacity of 368 inmates.

In other business, the court approved the county judge to execute a contract between Hays County and Texas State Sports Properties, LLC., regarding sponsorship and advertising of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office at Texas State University events.

The court approved a four-year contract for $286,000 but it has an option for it to end earlier.

“We know that a lot of Texas State students, after they come to college here, they want to stay. But they also don’t believe that the jobs are available,” Commissioners Debbie Ingalsbe said. “I think this is a way for us, as was stated, to recruit and let them know the opportunities that we have. I know we’ve been looking at our positions very closely. We’re doing the study as you mentioned. I think there’s going to be adjustments there and I think that people can find that they can live here and work here and just be able to enjoy this county and have a job they can depend on.

Ingalsbe added that she’s glad that the advertisements will be able to be used countywide and not solely on the sheriff’s office.

“And so, because it’s going to be used for the entire county and I’m very grateful for that because it was focused first on the sheriff’s office because we know they have so many openings but we’re also seeing openings in many of our offices,” Ingalsbe said.

The court also approved  authorization of office furniture for the magistration division and mental health specialty court with a budget not to exceed $27,750.

“This furniture is for two different departments. First, the magistration office which is going to be located in what I would call the old jail which was the former law enforcement center on the Uhland Road site of our current jail,” Shell said. “It used to house dispatch before they did the emergency communications center, so that’s going to be developed for the magistration office. Also, then to get our mental health court going as we’ve been hiring people, it’s time to start putting furniture together for them as well.”

The commissioners also received an update regarding the ongoing burn ban. Hays County Fire Marshal Mark Wobus recommended keeping the burn ban in place.

“We did benefit some from the rain that did come through, however, with the temperatures that followed, we quickly escalated back up to a higher drought index,” Wobus said, adding that the National Weather Service lists the majority of Hays County in an exceptional drought. “Our dryer areas are the southern portions of Hays County pushing into western Hays County.”

Wobus added that his office wasn’t notified of any drastic or damaging fires during the Independence Day weekend.

“I’m sure there were a few small fires related to fireworks but we were never requested to come out and investigate or issue citations,” Wobus said.

The court was set to recognize July as Parks and Recreation month but the item was pulled from the agenda.

For the complete meeting and agenda, visit https://hayscountytx.com/commissioners-court/court-video.