ABOVE: The Law Enforcement Center in Fairmont which houses the county jail. The Martin County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday began looking at jail share options.

FAIRMONT– The Martin County Board of Commissioners began talking about options for external county jail services during their meeting on Tuesday. Specifically, transporting inmates to neighboring counties and the impact that would have on local police departments was touched on.

While the county had been actively pursuing a new jail facility over the past few years, the board in March of this year voted to discontinue with it while acknowledging that something would need to be done to address problems in the existing facility.

Commissioner Richard Koons said the board has been advised by the county’s labor attorney to look into the jail occupancy numbers for the last three years.

“I’m confused about the purpose of this feasibility study,” said Commissioner Joe Loughmiller. “If there was someone here that would give us some clarification about what we’re trying to do and what the objective is that would help me.”

Commissioner Kevin Kristenson said he thought they were just looking at all options. Commissioner Billeye Rabbe added that she believes there’s a lot of speculation and that the board just wants to gather facts.

County Attorney Taylor McGowan spoke up and said, as the chief law enforcement officer for the county, he was also confused by the parameters of the study.

“There’s cost but there’s also effect on operations. I don’t know if this study will take that into effect,” McGowan said. “This is a study that I think has to be very, very comprehensive.”

Rabbe said the study would see how things are operating and how they could operate differently and save money for the county.

Loughmiller said he believed they need to look at the impact on courts and probation, as well as on the local police departments.

“To me it wouldn’t be fair to do something like this and make an action where we’re going to shut down the jail and move everyone to Faribault County, which has been whispered. I would be really concerned about the effects that that would have on the citizens in my district and police operations in Fairmont and the added cost that would be incurred there for 50 percent of the county’s residents,” Loughmiller said.

Commissioner Jaime Bleess said that in order to do a study like this right with a consultant would be about $20,000. He said he believed that if inmates are sent to a different facility, a holding facility will need to be added, which will also need to be staffed.

“I can tell you right now Fairmont PD would have to add significant staff to be able to handle this. That would just be shifting the cost to the taxpayers in a different way…. There’s a lot here. It’s not just about, will you save money, it’s how good of a quality of service will you be providing for that dollar,” Bleess said.

Loughmiller again said he wasn’t against the move, but wanted to make sure it was done in a comprehensive way.

“If we’re going to do this we ought to do it cooperatively and not confrontationally with the Sheriff’s Office,” Loughmiller said.

Rabbe said she thought that a study would be welcome by the Sheriff’s Office.

She made a motion to go forward with a study as outlined and to direct staff to do what is needed to get the facts and figures to outline a beginning of what the board may need for the future to make decisions.

“I want a simple dirty study that we can figure out if it’s worth going with the $20,000 study,” Rabbe said.

Bleess called the current outline of the study vague. He called out the lack of parameters.

“If I brought forth a motion like this.. I would get laughed out of the room,” Bleess said.

Rabbe said she believed they were looking too deeply at it. She said she thought that the staff in the Sheriff’s Office could help.

“Right now I think there’s a lot of speculation out there and we need to either go forward with it or put it to rest,” she said.

However, McGowan said he thought they need to go deep with the study. He agreed with what Loughmiller said that a move like this would affect other local police departments.

“Just to get baseline numbers, there’s a lot that’s going to need to be explored,” McGowan said.

County County Scott Higgins asked whether the board was focusing on jail services or law enforcement.

Loughmiller said they couldn’t focus on just jail services without considering the comprehensive picture and said an incomplete analysis would lead to a risk of making a bad decision.

“One would lead to another and that’s all I’m asking for right now and it’s my motion on the table,” Rabbe said.

Loughmiller said he was not ready to second the motion with a lack of clarity.

Koons said, “I think we have a board that’s not in agreement on some of our past decisions. If we don’t start someplace, it’s not going to get started.”

He said the last time a feasibility study was done on the jail was in 2018 by Wold Architect and Engineers.

Loughmiller said he was curious to hear from Sheriff Jeff Markquart, who was present with some of his staff, on their thoughts.

Markquart said that the board already has a study, which he doesn’t think has changed much, though he encouraged it to hire someone for a study if it thinks otherwise.

“If all you want to do is go to HR and see how much it cost for salaries in the jail, and close the jail and think you’re going to save all that money in salaries… it’s going to cost the taxpayers in all of these districts more money. All you’re going to be doing is changing money from one hand to the other by closing the jail thinking you’re going to save money by getting rid of employees,” Markquart said.

McGowan also pointed out that finding out a cost with renting jail space will be difficult as there will be per diem and rates for clothing and medical care.

After some more discussion Rabbe again said she had a motion on the table and Loughmiller said he’d like to clarify the scope and objectives before moving forward.

“I think we need to start somewhere,” said Kristenson. “I don’t know what the process is, do we change something, leave it the same? I don’t know but I will second the motion so we can start something.”

Bleess asked if everyone wanted to tour the Martin County jail facility first. Kristenson said he’s been asked that by Bless two days in a row.

“I’m using your expertise on this,” Kristenson said.

He added that sometimes he doesn’t have time but that he relies on the expertise of others when it comes to gathering information on the jail.

Before the vote, Chief Deputy Corey Klanderud stood up and addressed the board. He asked what “staff” was defined as in the motion. Rabbe said she was hoping that Human Resources would take the lead on the study and gather the information.

Bleess again voiced dissatisfaction with how vague the motion is.

“Are we asking them to go talk to Faribault County and strike a deal?” Bleess asked.

Rabbe said she was hoping that Human Resources would help facilitate it.

“To me, this doesn’t seem like something that Human Resources would lead on,” Loughmiller said.

Higgins said that Human Resources would be involved, among with some other departments.

When the role call vote was called for, the motion failed 3-2 with Bless, Loughmiller and Koons voting against it.

In other business:

— The board considered a proposed ordinance establishing a Shotgun Use Area to address the use of firearms during deer hunting season in the county. After some discussion, the board tabled the matter until a later date.

— The board approved submitting a US Economic Development Administration (EDA) 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program to aid with the aftermath from last summer’s flooding. The total project cost is $400,000 with the federal share being $320,000 and the local share being $80,000.

— The board approved the purchase of a 2025 budgeted three-fourths ton 2026 pickup truck for $46,500 from Fairmont Ford.

— The board approved: recruitment for a full-time appraiser in the County Assessor’s office due to Jessica Laue’s promotion to County Assessor and recruitment for a full-time Highway Maintenance Specialist due to Luke Nielsen’s transfer to the Parks Coordinator position.

— The board accepted Sergeant Mike Anderson’s retirement notice from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office effective Sept. 30.

— The board set a 2026 budget work session for 11 a.m. on Sept. 8.