Howard County and Winneshiek County reach an agreement on housing Howard County prisoners in Decorah

Both the Howard County Board and the Winneshiek County Board have now approved a contract under which Howard County will send its inmates to Decorah while construction in underway on a new Howard County Jail.

Construction of the $5 million project is estimated to take 18 months--during which time the jail in Cresco will not be usable.  Howard County officials have been talking with Winneshiek County officials about housing Howard County prisoners in the Winneshiek County jail during that time.

Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx says Howard County averages around eight prisoners a day in their jail.  Winneshiek County currently charges $50 a day to other counties to house prisoners, so Marx estimates the contract with Howard County could bring in up to $200,000 in additional revenues to Winneshiek County.