Olmsted County Rescinds Steep Jail Fee Hike for Dodge County

The Olmsted County Board of Commissioners voted 5-2 on Wednesday to rescind a planned fee increase for housing Dodge County detainees in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. The board had previously voted 4-3 in August to raise the daily per diem rate from $75 to $323, effective January 1, 2027, based on a Minnesota Department of Corrections analysis of total housing costs.

Following the initial hike, Dodge County Sheriff Scott Rose threatened to move detainees to other southeastern Minnesota jails. This potential exit prompted Olmsted County Sheriff Kevin Torgerson to warn that the county would lose approximately $300,000 in annual revenue. Torgerson argued the state's $323 estimate was inaccurate because it included medical expenses already paid by Dodge County and ignored fixed costs.

To resolve the dispute and maintain regional cooperation, Commissioner Bob Hopkins requested a reconsideration of the decision. The board ultimately delayed the $323 rate for one year to allow for further study and adopted Torgerson's proposed rate of $100 per day for the coming year.