Lyon Co. to increase jail service rates

Board approves increased costs for Murray Co. inmates in Lyon jail

MARSHALL -- Starting next year, it will cost more for Murray County to house jail inmates at the Lyon County Jail.

On Tuesday, Lyon County Commissioners approved a proposal from Sheriff Eric Wallen to increase the jail service fees to $125 per day in 2027, and to $175 per day in 2028.

"I was asked to review our contract with Murray County for the housing of their inmates in our jail," Wallen told county commissioners. "The (Lyon) county's cost of housing inmates in our jail is, per day, significantly higher than what we've been charging Murray County, so we'd look to bring that more in line."

The current price for housing Murray County inmates in Lyon County is $75 per day, per inmate, Wallen said. Wallen said he had spoken to the Murray County Sheriff about possibly increasing the rates for the next two years.

"This is significantly higher than other counties in our area at this time," Wallen said of the proposal.

He thought the cost to house inmates in the Jackson County jail might be up to $150, but that Jackson County wasn't looking to contract with anyone for inmate housing.

The $125 per day rate "would put us higher than most of the surrounding counties for housing rates. But I do believe it's a fair price," Wallen said.

Wallen said there was a risk that contracted partners like Murray County might look elsewhere to send jail inmates, if Lyon County raises its prices. At the same time, he said, "I don't believe there's a lot of facilities in the area that are equipped to take on additional inmates on a contract basis, without Murray County having to drive a significant distance."

Wallen said he thought Nobles County might also be discussing a raise of their costs for inmate housing. He said Nobles County currently houses all of Rock County's jail inmates, as well as some of Pipestone County's inmates.

Commissioner Todd Draper asked what portion of Lyon County's jail population is made up of inmates from Murray County. Wallen estimated it was about 15 to 20%.

"In 2025, we took in $121,000 for housing inmates. I couldn't break that out by what was Murray County and what might have been from Lincoln County," Wallen said.

But the majority of inmates from other counties housed at the jail have been from Murray County, he said.

"What's it costing us to house any prisoner? Obviously it's more than $75 a day," Draper said.

Lyon County Administrator Loren Stomberg said the cost to house a prisoner in the Lyon County Jail in 2025 was about $220 a day.

"I have seen data from the Department of Corrections that puts it statewide at about $400 a day. So compared to that, we're doing good."

"I think this gets us closer to what we should be," Commissioner Rick Anderson said of the proposed cost increases for 2027 and 2028.

He moved to approve an addendum to Lyon County's contract with Murray County for jail inmate housing. The motion passed unanimously.