By Kevin Jefferies
Hunt County – Bids to turn the running of Hunt County Jail over to a private company will be in next week. The commissioner's court will review the bids and examine the financial feasibility of turning the jail over to a third party to manage. Pressure has been on the facility since they failed an inspection last July by the Texas Commission of Jail Standards. The commission said the Hunt County jail had too few corrections officers to supervise all of the inmates.
More positions have been added at the jail, including three new positions added yesterday during commissioner's court. Even with those new positions filled, the facility would fall short of meeting a state defined ratio of one jailer per 48 inmates.
Hunt County Commissioners hope to be making a final decision about privatizing the jail by their first meeting in September.