Committee approves Flock camera renewal, hears about potential WellPath jail medical increase

The Judicial & Public Safety Committee voted to authorize a renewal of the county's contract with Flock Group Inc., continuing use of roughly 25 Flock units for camera analytics. The undersheriff said the renewal is an annual contract renewal at roughly $72,000 and that the original procurement was bid; the committee recorded unanimous votes in favor and referred the item to finance and budget.

Undersheriff staff also notified the committee that WellPath, the current jail medical vendor, has requested a contractual consumer-price-index increase (3.4%) for renewal terms that would raise the annual contract to about $4.5 million; a requested staffing conversion (changing an EMT/CMA position to a full-time nurse) would add approximately $99,000, bringing the total to roughly $4.6 million if approved. "Through the 3.4 CPI increase, it will total 4,500,000.0. And then with a staffing conversion, it's an additional 99,000 to be 4.6 in total," Kathleen Koka Erickson said.

Committee members asked whether renewals require rebidding; county counsel confirmed the original contract was bid and renewals that exercise contracting options do not automatically require rebidding. Members also asked whether the county surveys incarcerated individuals about care; the vendor said the grievance process is used and that direct surveys are not currently performed.

The undersheriff also reported limited facility flooding in some sheriff office spaces and correctional areas and said repairs and temporary shifts in workspaces are underway.

What happens next: the WellPath increase is informational at this committee and would return with formal recommendations and any required budget adjustments; the Flock renewal proceeds to finance and budget.